Don't Play With Me II
by BanishedOne
Summary: He kissed you... A long time ago you told me that. You never told me what happened after he kissed you." Sequel to 'Don't Play With Me'. ItaSasu.
1. Chapter 1

_...Sasuke couldn't say anything, because he succumbed to that fatal sharingan just after he heard his brother's words, his eyes fluttering closed, looking more willing to dream than the boy probably really was. If this had been a game of cat and mouse, then he would have just fallen; Unsuspecting prey to a deranged and depraved predator..._

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DON'T PLAY WITH ME II

..Our games are at an end..

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I've no time to plead and pine

I've no time to wheedle

Kiss me quick and then I'm gone

Pop goes the weasel

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_It was all broken up; Reoccurring unconscious images, dappled darkness, only outlined in the most vague coat of silver. The arrangement of the room was unmistakable, even for all the obscurity; Itachi's old room, back so many years ago. It felt as if it had been hundreds._

_The figures were difficult to make out, though it was easily assumed that the larger was Itachi and the smaller was Sasuke. It looked less like real human beings, and more like a demon hunched over a child, gobbling up his flesh, warding off whatever onlooker was dreaming this scene up with flaring red eyes._

_The actions only flickered into visibility momentarily, little close ups of secretive acts committed between one conscious predator, and one unconscious victim. This scene couldn't have been real, but rather, it was some nonsense dreamt up by a confused adolescent; This had no real manifestation in its creators memory banks._

_It was merely a nightmare._

_And like a silent, black-and-white movie it played out; The larger form looking down upon the smaller, hesitant, but unable to resist this temptation. The smaller was subdued, but reacted, muttering little inaudible responses every now and then. The larger form tried again and again to pull himself away, but unrelenting insanity denied him this, getting off on the guilt that would eat at him later._

_And what could be seen were only slight moments of disgusting contact- A tip of a tongue moving slowly across some bit of pale flesh, red eyes glittering, disturbed, beneath a mess of raven bangs, fingers brushing over an exposed shoulder, one body moving to hover over another, and a neck twisting, turning to the side as a face contorted from unknown sensations and unconscious shame, cheeks flushing red, but porcelain skin powdery white otherwise, though it was connected at every inch with some cut figure, covered in a more creamy colored flesh._

"_...nnn...Nii-san..." _

Dark eyes forced themselves open, flickering around their surroundings desperately at first as the boy they belonged to took a deep breath. He felt as if he had just been held under water; Had he really stopped breathing during that nightmare? He sat up slowly, his body feeling unusually sore, and his eyelids still heavy, pleading for peaceful sleep with would never come.

Sasuke just sat there like that for a while, gazing down at the plain white sheets that had been draped around him, holding in precious body heat as he allowed his bodies functions to slow, and he submerged himself into the drowning pool of dreadful nightmares. He had always had bad dreams, and at first they consisted of bloody slaughters, namely that of his family, and those dreams came in many equally unpleasant variations. He would swear that he had seen the fallen Uchiha die in every way possible. Other times his dreams evolved, and it was other people that died, but those were rare. In the better dreams Sasuke saw his brother die, and when it was depicted as having been by his hand, that made it even better.

The fact that he always woke from the dreams of Itachi's death with half-dry streaks of tears down his cheeks was alien to him. He could not understand his sleeping actions one bit.

Now, however, the images he saw within his head as he slept tended to be much worse than the gore-ridden ones. He believed it had all started when he hit puberty; The dreams that involved sexual contact. Thankfully they had always been vague, but now, with Sasuke utterly close to finally tracking down his brother, things had become disturbingly obvious. After all that tracking, and work, Sasuke should have been beside himself at the fact that he could run across Itachi at any time, and yet he had only began to wish this process could be at an end.

That last dream; They had always been silent- This was the first time Sasuke had been able to hear anything, and of course, it had to be his own immature voice making sounds of unsure pleasure, and muttering 'Nii-san'. The thought made him sick at his stomach.

The still-exhausted teen groaned miserably, and pulled himself from his bed. He would guess it was about _that_ time. A few days prior he had received information about a suspicious pair of men that commonly came in to a nearby teahouse in town at a specific time, and that hour had grown near. These certain men matched the correct description. Black robes bearing clouds; one man with long, dark hair, who always had a neutral expression, and talked very little; The other, a taller man who was very strange looking and had skin that was a blueish coloration, carried a large sword, and was a bit more on the chatty side. Sasuke would put money on it being Itachi and his Akatsuki partner.

The last few nights he had sat waiting in that teahouse, expecting the meet eye-to-eye with his brother, but there had yet to be any movement, and he was growing impatient. On top of that he hadn't been able to sleep at all, and if he went on much longer like this he would end up with dark lines on his face, just like his elder brother. The thought of having to see Itachi staring back at him in the mirror; How repulsive, it was almost vulgar.

The lone Uchiha brother stretched as he padded across the room to collect his discarded clothes, and put them back on, covering his pale skin from his only onlooker, the encroaching darkness. Looping his sash tightly in a knot he reached out for his sword, and laced it between the purple wrapping so that it would stay put and be right within his reach, should the time come to use it; Sasuke desperately hoped it would come, tonight. He slid on his shoes, trying to multitask, and hop on one foot while one sandal was being put on, and because of this he came stumbling oh-so-gracefully into the small room tucked away for his washing needs. He was glad nobody was here to see him. Once he was steady again he looked up into his mirror, greeted by a cold and seemingly lifeless reflection. One might begin to wonder if things would ever change after Itachi's death, but such thoughts, for Sasuke, were pushed away. He didn't try to analyze things to that extent, he merely knew what had to be done. Lazily he combed his fingers through his long bangs, pleased that they weren't all that messy after his terrible napping, though he had a horrific-looking flat spot amongst the rest of his spiky locks directly at the back of his head. He wet his hands, and rubbed the water through his hair, dampening it enough so that the flattened area would spike out again, then dry just as quickly.

His only purpose may have been to kill his brother, but it would be terribly shameful to look utterly unkept. He couldn't allow Itachi the pleasure of thinking he caused his brother to obsess to the point that he neglected his own grooming. That would be ridiculous.

So, with a patient sort of saunter, Sasuke made his way out into the dim, musty hallways of the hotel, and walked the short distance to the world just outside of the cave-like dwelling. It was dusk, movement along the streets was beginning to slow for now, and it was likely that it wouldn't pick up again until a few hours into full-nightfall. For now there was a farmer or two lolling by pulling a cart, a few small groups of rampant children, rebellious enough to stay out til dusk, but not bold enough to face the night, and other lone figures, going about their daily lives without much purpose other than to waste oxygen with their breathing. Sasuke questioned such thoughts- That had been something his brother would say, right? The young Uchiha didn't want to admit it, but somewhere deep inside he believed he had turned into Itachi.

Maybe Itachi meant it that way? The only way Sasuke could ever fully kill Itachi's imprint would be to kill himself. So long as Sasuke went on living, so did Itachi. The young teen had known better than to keep those little shards of his brothers inner-self he had received so long ago. They had dug into his skin, and rooted themselves there, growing into his veins, and the very inner workings of every part of him. Itachi had constricted Sasuke from the inside - Out.

Sasuke shook his head; That meant nothing, and only his brother would value something so whimsical it was practically pointless. Sasuke sought to rid this world of Itachi's physical and mental being; his twisted mind, and the flesh it controlled, and beyond that all else was meaningless.

Nonchalant, and not paying too much attention, Sasuke made his way into the teahouse with soft, meandering steps, and he glanced around just enough to find himself a table that was a bit more out of the way, and separate from the rest of the crowd. He thought 'crowd' wasn't really an appropriate term, but nonetheless there was a fair amount of bodies littering the public area, just sipping their tea, and oblivious to anything else. The teen was instantly greeted upon sitting, and he gave the gleeful blonde server his order with an impassive expression on his face the entire time. The girl lingered a bit longer than Sasuke wanted, speaking encouraging little words, and trying to force a smile from her customer; It was her job to be warm and welcoming to anybody who came in, so Sasuke simply humored her, nodding to her words, his lips curved just slightly into a smile, and he thanked her, hoping she would be on her way, and fetch his order.

He couldn't ignore her joyous blushing as she finally retreated to get what had been asked of her. Okay, it was her job to please, but the teen would guess she was going just a bit out of her way for him. Women always tended to act that way about him; He supposed things would never change.

At last he was allowed to fully scan the room, and as he did he met eyes with somebody most interesting; It was a dark pair of eyes he found to be looking back at him; Dark eyes placed on a creamy-pale face that was framed with choppy black bangs. Regretfully, though this person's description would have sounded very much like Itachi's, this person was very obviously a woman. She had a frail, and delicate appearance, and a neutral, melancholy expression, very mannerly gestures, and Sasuke noticed, long black eyelashes. It was most obvious as her eyes darted away once she was noticed, and as they were downcast her lashes grazed her cheeks in a most breakably beautiful way.

She had been watching Sasuke, though, and it made the teen curious. The way she looked back up at him, she wasn't looking with the typical interest Sasuke was met with. She was interested in what she saw, but for a different reason. Sasuke studied her just as she was doing to him at the exact same time. She was dressed in the finest kimono, though her sleeves told without question she was taken. If that wasn't a loud enough sign, then the rather large belly that protruded beneath her dark silks spoke quite clearly.

A mother-to-be. In a strange way she reminded Sasuke of his own mother when he was a young child. Frail, and pretty, but sometimes very outwardly mysterious. Much like her first-born son, but still different in a way. In any case, this woman had the appearance of an Uchiha; It was her eyes.

Sasuke had to curse himself however; He looked up at his blonde server for just a moment as she brought him what he had asked for, but once he directed his attention back to the young pregnant lady she had been joined by an even more interesting guest. There, seated just next to her was that hulky, sword carrying, blue-skinned man who had been seen with Itachi. Sasuke's surprise probably was somewhat obvious, and he was just lucky that they didn't seem to be paying attention to him. Rather, the frail looking woman was now trying her best to shrink as politely away from the missing-nin as possible, while he was just returning her lack of interest in him with a toothy grin, and undoubtably some rather crude comments. She never got up to walk away from him, however, and Sasuke sipped his tea, edgy, but watching the pair patiently enough. She was flustered by this shinobi, but still somewhat comfortable in his very close presence. Slowly Sasuke began to lose interest in this scene, however, because it lacked the very thing he had been looking for in the first place, Itachi. Where was Itachi? There sat his partner going about his business as if there was nothing greater to be doing, and yet Itachi was nowhere to be seen. It made Sasuke very suspicious.

And as if things weren't bothersome, and confusing enough, the woman and that shark-like shinobi got up, and prepared to leave together. Sasuke's eyes watched them, desperate not to lose sight of them, but not sure if he should follow them. This may have been his last chance at finding his brother. Once the couple were at the door he placed his money down on the table, and got up with his Dango still in hand. He would have to act quickly if he wanted to keep sight of the Akatsuki member, and that woman, but he might have been a bit hasty, because as soon as he jumped out of his seat he bumped into another person. He didn't have time to apologize, but apparently whoever he had ran into had taken the mishap quite offensively. He glared as an arm wrapped around him securely, and just as he was about to spit out a bitter 'back off' to the figure just behind him, a voice cut him off.

"What's your hurry, Sasuke..?"

Whether it was the surprise of that familiar, though slightly different timbre, or the moist breath that rushed across the skin of his neck, Sasuke shivered, breathless. His mind was still quick to react, as every well-trained shinobi should, and as he was released from the grip of the offender, he moved to draw a kunai, though his wrists were captured before he even had the chance to spin around. His hand that held the sharp weapon was redirected so that the blade's tip pressed against the tense muscles of his abdomen just beneath his white haori, and he groaned in agitation. This sneak attack was low, even for the one who had taken such unfair advantage. His face contorted into an enraged scowl as he heard the slightest sound of a snicker.

Obviously he didn't take being a toy for amusement lightly. He was just glad that nobody had taken much notice of this silent struggle.

The hand that held his sweet dumplings was redirected a moment later while his own kunai was still pressed threateningly against his gut. He watched as the rounded things colored pink and white and green were lifted, and held just over his shoulder, and the offender moved forward slightly so that the first dumpling on the stick was slipped into his mouth. The response that formed on Sasuke's lips would have been pleasantly reminiscent if it hadn't come out in such a cold, threatening tone.

"Still a dango thief, I see.. It is rather petty."

The teen was rewarded for his impudence with shove back toward the table, though this time he spun around, facing his opponent at last. There stood his brother, seeming unchanged, and ageless, and just as impassive as ever as he stared back at Sasuke with glimmering crimson orbs. Defiantly, Sasuke glared right into that red stare with one that was just as fierce; His held more intent, however, and Itachi only proved that fact with his next words.

"If it is a fight your looking for, Sasuke... You might want to save it for later.. Unless you really want all the innocent people present caught in the crossfire."

Funny how Itachi used this fact to his advantage. Sasuke knew better than to think Itachi really cared for innocent people, and the past was proof of that fact; He was only mentioning this now in order to dodge the inevitable clash. Sasuke retorted rather smartly because of this, however, his voice hateful. "As if you really care."

His elder brother just shrugged, his face remaining ever the same, and he allowed the challenging words to roll off of him as if they had never been said at all. "Your right.. I don't.. Though I expected you might have, and I reminded you of the fact so you could be spared the guilt of it later."

It made Sasuke sick how Itachi obviously thought he was the most clever thing in existence; Still, his comment was not without its weak points, and Sasuke struck back, refusing to lose in the verbal warfare they had dropped true combat for. "I think you just don't want all these people to see me take you down... It would be very shameful for you, would it not?"

The younger brother had won the word-war, obviously, but he was never allowed the pleasure of celebrating his victory. That worthless scum, Itachi, always managed to get into his head at the deepest level, and screw with him. Sasuke wouldn't allow his agitation to show, though, as his brother walked forward, their shoulders brushing together just barely, and Itachi sat down at Sasuke's table, exposing his back openly to the teen who's clear intent was to see him dead. This action was more challenging than the younger boy's words, because it said silently 'You think I'm afraid of you? Think again.'

"Why don't you finish with your food, Sasuke?" Those words were spoken quite simply. He hadn't asked in a demanding way, and yet at the same time Sasuke felt he was taking orders from his most hated enemy as he sat next to him complying with his words. And how very awkward did this feel? He was sitting next to the person he wanted dead, nibbling at his sweets as if this could be the most peaceful picture. What possessed Itachi to do this? Why did he all of a sudden have such a desire to sit next to his little brother that he betrayed so long ago, and just waste time?

Sasuke still didn't understand this man. It didn't really matter anymore; It was just that Sasuke would always be curious about Itachi, he couldn't help it.

"Don't think that just because you've delayed it that I'm not going to kill you... You will die, Itachi, and you can be very sure of it." The younger boy spoke in a venomous tone, still glaring at his unreadable brother with deadly red eyes. Itachi gave him no response, he just stared back at him as if he had said nothing at all, seemingly vacant ruby reds scanning the younger boy up and down. It made Sasuke utterly uncomfortable.

"You've gotten much taller since I saw you last... You seem very gaunt, however. Perhaps it is best that I decided to let you finish your food."

"Tch." Sasuke didn't bother looking up from his dumplings after his brother's comment. What did he mean in speaking of Sasuke as if he cared, and as if he was fond of his company? He ignored most of what Itachi said, and just used it to bring up the past. "Of course I've gotten taller.. You haven't seen me since I was just a kid."

There was a pause, and Sasuke grew only that much more uncomfortable, because even though he wasn't looking at Itachi he could tell Itachi was still staring at him. If the boy thought he could just turn around and stab his brother to death without resistance, then he wouldn't hesitate for a moment. Sitting here with Itachi was getting him more edgy than he liked to be. And just to add to Sasuke's anxiety, Itachi spoke up, a delayed response to what Sasuke had said just a moment ago.

"Your wrong, Sasuke..." The elders words were so soft they were barely audible. Still Sasuke caught them, and looked up, curious but still thirsty for his brother's blood. "What?"

It was only then that Itachi turned his own eyes away, and he stared out over the crowd as he took a moment to collect his inner thoughts before he gave Sasuke an answer. The younger boy studied his expression, hoping to find something locked within; Either he wasn't as good at it as he had been when he was a child, or Itachi was being more adamant about keeping it hidden. "It has been a few years since I saw you last, mind you... But _that night _was not the last time... I came back every once in a while to check on you, just to see what had become of you..." Sasuke's eyes might have been playing tricks on him, but he swore that Itachi's lips curled upwards just a bit. "..It is amusing really.. You've wanted to find me for so long, and yet... There were many times I had been right under your nose, and you didn't even notice... That much hasn't changed either. The last few nights you sat here waiting on me to show up.. I had already been here watching you, and you never saw me... If I hadn't revealed myself to you tonight, then you would have been chasing your way to a dead end.. Yet again."

These words had a profound effect on the younger Uchiha. Not only did his brother admit to keeping an eye on him over the years, but he had been coy enough to play games with him as well. He allowed his focus to break for a moment, and Itachi undoubtably caught a good view of this, but Sasuke slipped back into his challenging state of coldness quite easily. "What a caring brother you are... So I suppose all those times I was fighting for my life, it was actually you who stepped in and saved my ass to, right?" Sasuke easily could have taken Itachi's words as some vague show of sentimentality, but his sarcasm was without fail.

Typical- Itachi gave no response. He merely seemed to ignore Sasuke's cold words, yet again. Because of this the brothers sat in silence for a few more minutes. Sasuke had no clue what was going through Itachi's mind, but he, himself, was thinking back since obviously he would have some time to question Itachi concerning some things.

"Itachi... That day I followed you into the woods. You remember it, don't you?"

Sasuke looked over at his stoic, silent brother, and Itachi just nodded without even fully turning his attention back to Sasuke. This made Sasuke glare at him momentarily, because even now Itachi was still treating him like an annoying younger brother. He had no right to do so anymore. Still, Sasuke continued. "What had really happened that night..? The masks never threw me off, I noticed there was something off about that meeting, even when I was a kid, I just didn't question it, because I had been foolish enough to trust you back then."

Slowly, the elder turned his flaring red eyes back to look at his brother, though he seemed utterly disinterested, and he simply shrugged as if this were a question that needed no answer at all. "What happened that night is exactly what you have most likely figured out yourself by now... It was a meeting concerning my initiation into the Akatsuki. It was the night I was instructed to kill Shisui in order to gain the Mangekyou Sharingan, and to kill the rest of the clan.."

He had been right, Sasuke had come to expect this was the case. It was entirely obvious since Itachi had told him that night he was going on a 'mission' to acquire mangekyou sharingan, and later explained how it was that he got this. Still, Sasuke had wanted to hear it from Itachi. It led quite easily to his next question, which Itachi had answered, in a sense, before, but Sasuke never believed any of that nonsense Itachi had rambled on about. His voice was unfeeling, though it was less cold than it had been. "So... Tell the truth, Itachi... Why did you leave me alive... Really?"

Itachi just closed his eyes as he rested his chin against his hand, and he let out a soft sigh, seemingly bored or frustrated with this exchange. "You already know the answer to that to, Sasuke... Would you cease the foolish questions. You quiz just as naively as you did when you were a child.."

Sasuke just growled out a quick response, clearly offended. "Answer the question, Itachi. It isn't like you have anything to do beyond this moment other than dying, so it shouldn't matter."

Just as before, these threats had no effect on the elder brother. He always seemed to just sit as if he never heard them. However, this time he at least responded verbally. "You seem very sure of yourself, Sasuke..." The younger brother glared, clearly challenged though his brother was indifferent as always. He continued where he had cut himself off, though, and Sasuke was forced to listen patiently. "..If you insist on having me answer you... Then you must do something for me."

Sasuke was both amused, and equally offended by this remark- Honestly, what did Itachi think this was? Was he threatened so little by Sasuke right now? Did he not believe that Sasuke could just kill him where he sat? And did he honestly believe his younger brother would ever do anything to aide him? He must have grown even more deranged over the years. Sasuke's response made it quite clear that he not only didn't intend to do whatever task Itachi had in mind, but just the mention of the old game they used to play had been utterly ridiculous on Itachi's part.

"In case you haven't noticed, Itachi, our relationship is a bit deteriorated, so I'm fairly certain that I no longer have any interest in playing your little game."

Sasuke really thought he had made a clear, and indisputable point; Itachi's eyes quickly flickered over to look at him, and Sasuke just smiled defiantly. A moment passed as each of them held eye contact, then at last Itachi looked away.

"Fine... Don't do as I tell you.. But considering your lack of any ability to find me until I wish to be found, I believe this will be the last time we meet for a long time.." The way Itachi spoke- It pissed Sasuke off in unbelievable ways. He was being addressed by Itachi as if he were still some untrained child, and Itachi was the omniscient older brother. "You think you really could just walk away from me that easily?"

The elder was unrelenting in his persistence; He continued to stare at his resistant little brother, though now he narrowed his eyes just a bit. "If I needed to lose you, Sasuke.. Yes, it would be quite easy for me.. But I think you will reconsider my offer. I'm being quite generous, considering I have good reason to kill you, just as you wish to do to me."

Sasuke was surprised by Itachi's words; He hadn't really thought Itachi ever had any real plans to kill him, other than what it might come down to once they seriously fought. Sasuke really shouldn't have been so taken back, he had grown accustomed to the fact that Itachi never had cared, and that was a long time ago, but now to hear his brother actually threaten him, it was strange. He didn't allow it to waver his convictions, however. He was still determined to kill Itachi tonight. "If you think you can do me in, then why put it off, Itachi?"

Sasuke looked up, expecting some kind of attempt at a blow from his brother as Itachi stood, but the elder still had his peaceful disposition for the moment. Actually, it wasn't just peaceful, but for some reason, despite the friction between the brothers, Itachi was looking down at Sasuke almost admiringly as he boldly moved his hand out to touch the younger brother. If Sasuke had been a dog, he would have been content to snap at his brother's hand, but for whatever reason he kept his reserve as Itachi gently pressed two fingertips to his forehead.

"Do as I say, Otouto.. Go back to Konoha. Fight the Kyuubi kid, Naruto.. Bring him back incapacitated, but alive.. And three days from now I will come to that ratty little hotel you have been staying in.. And then I will answer your question."

If Sasuke hadn't been so dumbfounded by a piece contained within Itachi's words, then he wouldn't have hesitated to reach up and break off his brothers fingers as he moved them across his temples, and down over his cheek. Through it all, Sasuke had at least taken in what Itachi said to him. Still, he couldn't resist letting his most obvious shock show.

"You know where I have been staying?" He was disbelieving in his words, but his brother merely nodded to him, apathetic; His tone matched as he spoke a response. "Unlike you-to-me, Sasuke... I will always know where you are, and how to find you.. So don't look so surprised."

The younger boy glared, both indignant, and simply angry. He was getting increasingly tired of Itachi both looking down on him, and seeming to treat him as if they were still brothers with a relationship. Sasuke scoffed, then spoke up a moment later, his tone not exactly fiery, but still challenging. "You're so full of yourself, and yet, you can't manage to capture that idiotic Naruto on your own..? There is something amiss about that, Itachi, don't you agree?"

The elder brother turned his back, and Sasuke stood, following the elder as he began to walk away. He didn't like being ignored each and every time he thought he had Itachi backed into a corner, but this time he actually was not being intentionally ignored. Rather, Itachi slowed his pace enough to allow Sasuke to walk at his side, and Sasuke stared at him, wary and distrusting. Itachi finally rewarded him with an answer, though, so he loosened up just a bit. Not very much, however.

"I could get him myself... But I want you to be responsible for what will happen to him once he is in my hands... Understand?" Itachi explained himself calmly, and simply, and Sasuke just nodded. As diabolical as it was, he did understand; It wasn't exactly a peaceful understanding, but he accepted this, nonetheless. "So it will be done, then?"

Sasuke's mask of apathy broke, and he allowed a moment of emotion to show on his face. He did not like this agreement; He didn't completely like the thought of being the one to deliver Naruto to Itachi's hands.

But though he wouldn't admit it, something about the way his brother promised to return to him, it made him feel very strange.

"Yeah. I'll do it."

Itachi gifted Sasuke's compliance with the slightest smile, though his ruby eyes still held some sort of deviousness about them. "Good... And try to get some sleep, Sasuke. It would make me feel guilty if I had to fight you with you looking so exhausted."

The younger brother glanced up at his older sibling hatefully as Itachi turned his back, and sauntered away looking as if he hadn't a care in the world; looking as if he weren't an S-class criminal, murderous, traitorous, despicable, Akatsuki member. Damn him.

'_Do as I say, Otouto.. And three days from now I will come to that ratty little hotel you have been staying in.. And then I will answer your question.'_

For some reason or another Sasuke felt sick to his stomach, as if something inside him were dying. He hoped it hadn't been something important.

What was more troublesome was the fact that Sasuke knew it would only be harder to sleep now. Not just because he had ran into his brother, spoken with him, then allowed him to walk away, but rather because now he had to live with the fact that Itachi knew where he would be while he was sleeping.

He didn't want to think about what would happen if he woke from his reoccurring nightmares to his brother's fingertips against his forehead, drawing lines across his temples, and over his cheeks, and whispering promises to always find him, and always return to him.

The thought was so dreadfully nostalgic it was almost morbid.

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TO BE CONTINUED


	2. Chapter 2

I loved you-  
you made me-  
hate me-  
You gave me-  
hate, see?  
It saved me-  
and these tears are deadly.

You feel that?  
I rip back-  
every time you tried to steal that-  
You feel bad? you feel sad?  
I'm sorry, hell no, fuck that!

It was my heart,  
it was my life,  
it was my start,  
it was your knife.  
This strife,  
it dies,  
this life and these lies.  
And these lungs,  
have sung,  
this song,  
for too long,  
and its true,  
I hurt too,  
remember-  
I loved you!

"_Can you hear me Otouto..?" The deep rumble of a voice was spoken in the softest whisper, yet in such a stern tone, even the dead would feel pressed into a response. The young boy being addressed by the teenage shinobi wasn't dead, but he might as well have been. He was almost completely unconscious; This was a dream, and yet Sasuke's younger self was dreaming within, responding, yet not knowing he was doing so._

_There was a slight pause as dark, vacant eyes blinked shut momentarily, then opened back just a bit, staring up so blindly it was yet again almost as if this tiny boy was sprawled dead on his elder brother's bed. Dead bodies didn't squirm, and make tiny little noises while doing so as he did, however, and they certainly didn't speak, though, if they did, their tones would most likely resembled Sasuke's right now. _

_The boy's tiny voice came out monotone, mumbled, as he stared up at Itachi who was still looming over him, waiting for a response. "..Yes.. Nii-san.."_

_The elder brother smiled a twisted half-smile, and reached a single shaking hand out, pausing in hesitation, but not being able to restrain himself in the end. The gracefully deadly hand was slipped under the smaller boy's shirt and gently the larger male stroked the child's bare belly, biting down on his own lip all the while. He only took a breath, and pressed on as he thought of a good question to ask; His voice came out more frighteningly depraved than he would ever allow anybody to truly hear. "So... You can tell who this is, can you, Sasuke?"_

_The younger Uchiha squirmed a bit more, though this time it was in response to what would be perceived as innocent brotherly affection for now. He stretched himself out, arching his back, and raising himself to Itachi's touch, craving more of it. It was still, of course, the most innocent plea- Sasuke would only think this touch was warm, and endearing, and since it felt very good, he obviously urged his brother to continue. The elder knew this, but seeing his brother move in such a way in response to it, he had to pull his hand away momentarily, frightened himself of what he may allow himself to do. Once Sasuke spoke up, answering his question, though, it broke his will all over again. "Mmm... Yes... It's Nii-san."_

_Itachi gulped, taking a deep breath, and he stared down at his brother with eyes that glowed red in uncontrolled emotion. "Sasuke... I wish you hadn't asked to stay here..."_

Sasuke's head snapped up from its lowered position, the place where he had fallen asleep sitting up. He glanced around the room, his eyes wide and burning red, and his forehead beaded slightly in an unnerved sweat. He was dazed, and he felt very sick to his stomach, and it took a moment for time to catch up with him as he forced his mind out from the grip of a disturbing dream. His breathing came in quick, abnormal pants as his eyes glanced around, doing his best to overcome his jitters.

The dreams were getting worse; Sasuke knew this would happen after his close contact with his brother. He just gulped, still working to catch his breath, and he moved a shaking hand to brush his slightly dampened bangs away from his face.

He jumped up from his seated position, however as he felt cold fingers brush against his neck, and as he whirled with a kunai in hand he was reminded of the work he had done over the past few days. The fingers had belonged to the practically lifeless body that was lain, taking up the space on his small cot, and somehow they had unconsciously moved themselves too close to the young Uchiha, and frightened him while he was in his vulnerable state.

If the boy laying upon the bed could have seen Sasuke's startled reaction then the Uchiha could expect some taunting response, laughter, the cuts that always came from his rival-turned-best friend. The boy had been so commonly provoked by Sasuke, he never missed a beat when he had the chance to hit back.

Naruto- Sasuke kneeled next to the bed. Looking down at the boys broken form, Sasuke felt so utterly guilty; His blonde-headed best friend-soon-turned-prey probably had almost every bone in his body broken, and not because Sasuke was powerful, but because he had made it easy. He had practically allowed himself to be beaten beyond function by the dark and twisted person he called a friend. He had wanted so desperately to hang on to the bonds they had formed, he didn't even bother stopping Sasuke from what he was doing. Sasuke supposed Naruto planned on doing him the greatest favor he could as a friend, and he allowed Sasuke to use him as he saw fit. He had always wanted recognition, and family, and to be needed by somebody, hadn't he? This was true, Sasuke did need Naruto now, but he needed him for such a selfish reason, it was practically evil.

Sasuke always hid beneath a mask similar to that of his brother, but he could not deny to himself that he felt despicable for what he had done. Here laid somebody who truly cared for him, and Sasuke was going to hand him over to a heartless bastard all for an answer to a question. The boy made sure to note that he would have to find a way to make his brother suffer if this game of theirs pressed on.

He sat for just a bit longer, watching his heavily injured and sedated friend struggle for every ragged breath he took, but after a while he couldn't take it any longer. He needed a change of scenery. He stood, and walked lethargically over to his window, looking out at the sunset, the view tired Amaterasu, burning deep orange as she faded on the dusty horizon.

"_Sunsets are for the people who look only into the past, constantly thinking back about things that went wrong, and things they lost.." Itachi explained this matter-of-factly, and Sasuke just nodded, taking it in. It would make more sense later, once he had enough of a past to look into on a constant basis. Itachi had more to say, however, and he spoke purposefully. "Don't look into the sunset, Otouto... Don't dream of the past.. Look into the daybreak, and we will always be connected, together, staring out at the same golden sun, wherever we happen to be.."_

Sasuke sighed softly, defiantly looking into the sunset and doing just what his brother had told him not to do so long ago. Those words puzzled him so; True, Itachi had known for a very long time the actions that he would eventually be made to do, but while he always said he didn't regret them, and that they were necessary, these words proved him to be a sunset-watcher just the same. His lingering sentimentality that morning, it was so unreal now that Sasuke had to wonder if this moment was something he merely had dreamt up. Sasuke glanced back at his suffering friend, hoping that whatever became of him once he was made into the property of the Akatsuki, it was quick and painless. Perhaps even those vile scum could be less heartless than Sasuke had been. Sasuke walked back over, studying Naruto's bruised face, and though he must have been in terrible pain, there was something peaceful about him. He must have still been laughing in Sasuke's face, because somewhere deep inside his collapsed body he probably knew that Sasuke would be the one to suffer more for this.

"..Yeah, Naruto... I got everything I ever wanted when I was a kid... I'm just. Like. _Him_."

Sasuke glared down, his hands curling into fists, reflecting his inner turmoil. Speaking of Itachi- He should have been here by now, and Sasuke was growing impatient. Some part of him wanted that putrid excuse for a human being to hurry his ass up so this ordeal could be over, but then again, some other part of Sasuke wanted to forget about all this, get Naruto out of here, and just kill Itachi the old fashioned way. It was a bit late for that, though.

Eyes that had finally faded back to cold black flickered over to the door as somebody knocked, and with slow, ghost-like steps Sasuke walked over, and cracked the opening just enough so that he could see out. He had to be a bit cautious considering his prisoner, but the one waiting outside the door was no friend or accomplice of Naruto's, and though he had once been a leaf shinobi, and he was here to take the fox-boy, he was not a threat at the moment. Sasuke stood to the side, glaring coldly, and seeming to contradict himself as he held the door open, welcoming his elder brother inside. His voice was steady, and emotionless, and unreadable, just the same as his brothers.

"I was beginning to think you weren't coming."

Itachi stepped across the threshold, and the door was shut securely behind him. After entering, however, he merely stood as if he had no purpose in coming, though Sasuke tried his best to ignore his presence for the most part. The younger sibling walked over to stand back beside his bed, and he blocked out Itachi's disturbance by staring down at Naruto, pondering; This would be the last time he saw his best friend. It was eating at him on the inside, but he didn't dare let that show. He did glance up, however, as his brother walked in silence over to his side, and joined him in staring at Naruto. The younger boy glared up at Itachi, though now he didn't bother threatening with sharingan this time. No, this glare was icy, hateful, filled with resent, and utter bitterness toward the one it was focused on; The elder didn't bother looking over, he most likely had a good idea how Sasuke was looking at him now.

Eventually, though, Itachi did allow himself to speak to his hostile sibling. Red eyes were still focused on the broken teen laying on the bed, but Itachi's voice rang out in that calm purr addressing Sasuke anyway. "Will you miss Naruto-Kun?"

The younger male glared, his eyes turning slightly more offended, and he practically wrinkled his nose in a snarl at his elder brother, his infuriated growl of a voice matching quite well to his feral appearance. "Did you miss your friend, Itachi?" Itachi had to know his little brother wasn't so emotionally crippled as he himself was; His tone may have been simple and merely curious, but that was part of his deceit. His was rubbing this in Sasuke's face right now.

At least, this is how Sasuke perceived it.

Regardless, Itachi shrugged in a nonchalant fashion, and responded to Sasuke's words if they hadn't been biting, and coated with bitterness; He was the ever impassive, unaffected one. "Think back far enough, Sasuke, and you will find.. You know the answer to that question."

It was funny how Itachi seemed to take that question-comment seriously, and he gave one of his actual answers to it. His answers had always consisted of such nonsense, so this wasn't sarcasm coming from the older Uchiha. But Sasuke had neglected to notice the irony of this situation; The brothers were still playing a game that Uchiha Shisui had made up. Obviously either some part of Itachi had clung to his memory, or else the memory of the child he laid to waste the fateful night he slaughtered his clan.

Again a terribly consuming silence constricted the brothers, and Sasuke eventually looked up at Itachi, curious to see what his brother's hold up was. He had expected Itachi to get this done quite promptly, but here he stood as if he were waiting on something. It was because of this that Sasuke spoke up again, his voice just as caustic directed at Itachi as it had been every time he addressed him. "What are you waiting on? Do you insist on sickening me with your loathsome presence as long as you possibly can by standing there in some sort of fucking daze?"

To Sasuke's words Itachi's crimson eyes flickered up to look him in the face, and he allowed his cloudy pools to narrow just slightly. It seemed to be a sign that he took his brother's snappy mouth offensively, though when he spoke he gave no sign of that, and once more he gave Sasuke the slip, leaving him mystified. "I was giving you a moment.. To say your final goodbye."

The younger brother felt almost certain that he saw Itachi smile about this, and his fingers curled tightly into a fist as he grit his teeth. The only reason Sasuke didn't turn his brother's pretty face into a bloody crater was because despite his first impression of that comment, he also could have sworn he detected a trace of sincerity in Itachi's voice. This had probably been intended to confuse, and Sasuke fell right into it, and because of that he just fired his own response back, smug. "I said my final goodbyes a long time ago."

The younger brother glared, coal-black eyes meeting with searching crimsons; His brother was looking at him, reading right into him without a word, and after a moment Itachi nodded, accepting Sasuke's statement as truth. He ghosted his way over to the bed, seemingly floating on graceful feet, and in a swift, and precise movement he lifted Naruto into his arms.

He was a cruel, spiny, poison-tipped sort of creature, Itachi, and yet as he cradled Sasuke's old friend in his arms, he held him in such a way, it almost looked comfortable, and careful. One would think that Itachi almost wished the boy no harm, when in reality Sasuke knew that this position only meant terrible things for Naruto. He turned his eyes away, though they quickly flickered back to Itachi just as he was about to leave. Sasuke had forgotten something important.

"Itachi... You didn't answer my question." This was the most peaceful Sasuke's voice had been the entire time, all because of his inquiring, however, it was ignored just as easily as his insults, and threats. Itachi was on his way now, and as he showed no sign of stopping, Sasuke quickly followed after him with warring intent clear, even in his footsteps. The elder brother glanced back, his blood red eyes warning as he spoke. "You'll get your answer, Sasuke.. Though it may take a bit of explaining, so stay here, and in a few nights I will come back."

Sasuke eyed him in complete distrust, and almost laughed mockingly at his words. "Do you really expect me to believe you will come back after you get away with the only thing you wanted from me?"

Itachi sighed, sounding like the typical big brother annoyed by a pestering younger sibling, and he spun back around to face Sasuke, his voice still utterly calm, and matching his neutral disposition. "... You assume this is the only thing I want from you, Sasuke?

Normally Sasuke was clever, and quick when it came to challenging responses, but he had been caught off-guard by his brother's last statement. Goddamn Itachi- What else could he possibly want from Sasuke? Hadn't he taken everything that could be taken from him? Apparently there was some other measly token his broken younger brother still clung onto with the scraps of his existence. This made Sasuke angry of course, but it also made him terribly aware of a certain hollowness growing larger inside him. "What do you mean by that..? Do tell, Itachi.. What more is there that you can pry away from what little you left of me?"

Itachi glared, his front broken for just a moment and as his voice started to speak in a more gravelly tone than usual, Sasuke's eyes widened slightly, surprised, and wondering what possibly could have gotten to Itachi just then. "I hadn't meant..." Itachi began, though he cut himself off, glanced to the side for a moment, collecting his inner workings, and he pieced his usual countenance back together before he started again. "Stay, Otouto... I'll come back. It's a promise."

The younger brother scoffed as his elder turned his back, though he didn't let him walk away with the last word. "As if any promise you make to me has any worth at all."

It didn't stop Itachi from walking away, and though Sasuke felt foolish for it, he decided to trust his brother's words. Maybe he really would come back- Maybe he had realized how worthless his existence was, and he would come back for assistance in ending it.

Sasuke glanced back over toward his window at the last tiny sliver of sunlight left peaking out over the city, dying the clouds surrounding the color of fresh blood. It was fitting, because Sasuke was looking into a gory past.

_When Sasuke came out into the clearing he looked up to see something he hadn't expected. There, looking up at him as if somewhat surprised, was Itachi. He had already been here, he had already been lingering with his thoughts in the past._

_But Itachi didn't look at sunsets, did he? He seemed to be contradicting himself._

_The younger Uchiha approached, pretending not to take much notice of his brother, even though Itachi was watching his every movement. Luckily the younger of the two was on the opposite side of the river, so silence was easily held. He sat directly across from Itachi, looking up at him momentarily, then he let his eyes flicker down to gaze at the river. He stared for a few minutes, thinking about all the questions he wished he could ask. With a lazy movement Sasuke reached out, and picked up a tiny pebble, then threw it halfway across the river, watching as the murky, blue-green abyss swallowed it, leaving a ripple in its place. He spoke up quietly._

"_What really happened, Nii-san?" He spoke so softly, he didn't think Itachi could hear him anyway. Even if he could, he knew he wouldn't answer. The younger brother looked up to see Itachi's cold black eyes still gazing at him, looking as if he had the truth just beneath those darkened windows, and he really wanted to say, but he held back. He did, however, reach out, pick up a small rock, and throw it to about the same place that Sasuke had thrown his. It was interaction, and responsiveness from him, though it was slight; It was enough to let Sasuke know that he wished for communication, that he had, indeed, been suffering in their state of not speaking with one another._

_Or so, Sasuke figured this. The little boy picked up another pebble, and tossed it out into the water, this time throwing it further, so that it sank into the depths of the river, but much closer to Itachi's side this time. "What are you truly feeling now? ..Do you miss Shisui-san?"_

_He looked up, and as his eyes met his brothers Itachi turned away, glancing off to the side for a moment before his hand reached out of its own accord, and delicately his fingers gripped another smooth little rock. He didn't even look up as he threw the thing, but in a flash of movement he released it, and it skipped across the water, only finally splashing down right as it was almost to Sasuke. It was close enough for Sasuke to feel the droplets of water that splashed up. He glanced over at Itachi, and though there was some distance between them, he swore Itachi was smiling that tiny smile of his, right before he got up, and left._

"So...You weren't being sarcastic... You were reflecting.." Sasuke's eyes glanced down away from the darkened sky, and over toward his vacant bed. Everything was wrong, and his tired voice spoke that very clearly. Too bad he was the only one here to hear it.

Itachi had heard him that day; He had tried to hide the fact that he truly was despairing, and yet Sasuke had seen through him so clearly then. Now, however, Sasuke had allowed his hatred for that man to cloud that brotherly sense that peered so deeply into him once upon a time. Now all he saw was the shell of a being that used to exist; This shell had killed the true Itachi, and all the rest of Sasuke's family, and could never be forgiven for that.

No matter how Sasuke denied the epiphany, however, something most unpleasant had just occurred to him; After all this time Itachi was still the same as he always had been. Underneath it all Itachi was still Sasuke's beloved and trusted Nii-San that had been there for him in every way he possibly could be. Not a thing had changed save for Sasuke, himself.

Too bad this didn't fix a thing. It just made things harder, and if anything, Sasuke hated Itachi that much more for this.

Just a moment ago Itachi had not truly been rubbing things in Sasuke's face. He had been trying, in the same way Sasuke had when he was a child, to comfort his brother in a time of loss that he could only blame himself for. And Sasuke had thrown it back in his face, unknowing. In a fit of emotion Sasuke punched a wall, not backing his fist with chakra, so he made a dent in the wall, but in the end the wall stood victorious, and Sasuke pulled back bloodied knuckles. He wanted to break himself more than anything else, and he threw his still-unrested frame down on his bed, pressing his face into his pillow as he felt regretful tears escape.

This wasn't for Itachi. This was just for himself. Sasuke hadn't become his brother; No, he had become something worse than Itachi, and Itachi had made him see it without even a solid effort.

The bastard.

Sasuke's pillow still smelled like Naruto.

I never really wanted you to see  
The screwed up side of me that I keep  
Locked inside of me so deep  
It always seems to get to me  
I never really wanted you to go  
So many things you should have known  
I guess for me theres just no hope  
I never meant to be so cold

What I really meant to say  
Is I'm sorry for the way I am  
I never meant to be so cold to you

_There was a pause, silence, and Itachi just kept up his petting, letting his brother cherish the affection, and the sweet sensation of it, though there were roots dug deeper into the darker regions of Itachi. He was contemplating as his fingers gently stroked his brother's tender belly; He could not remember having ever been so innocent and charmingly precious. Sasuke was so weak in his innocence, but the thought of this was blissful, a longing, something Itachi wanted to be part of, because it was something he had never felt himself, or else.. He did not recall._

_Desperately he wished he could remain in this moment forever; He wished Sasuke would stay as he was now for all eternity; So giving and willing to please for nothing in return, so full of the truest love, the greatest gift Itachi could ever hope to receive, and yet it was something that the world would slowly steal away from him, if he let it be._

_The peacefulness that absorbed the brothers now was not everlasting, sadly, this moment would perish in the river of time. The younger Uchiha would be ruined by passing time, and in time he would cease to be a comfort to his elder brother. Itachi didn't want to allow this process to slowly deteriorate his younger sibling; No, he wanted to steal away this innocence and keep it for himself, and forever be the person Sasuke followed after faithfully._

_Even if it was only to spill his blood; Itachi could accept this, though he wondered- Would this child ever stop loving him?_

_The elder brother broke away from his thoughts to make sure the gentle treatment hadn't lulled Sasuke to far back away from the hypnosis into true sleep. He tilted his head, curious, red eyes staring down at his little pet, his doll, his possession. "Do you like that, Sasuke?"_

_Sasuke practically purred at the gentle touch, and he nodded softly in his half-slumber, pressing himself against Itachi's hand again to re-establish this point. His voice was still very vacant, however, and possibly a bit more sleepy than it had been a moment ago. "...Feels good, Nii-san..."_

_Itachi smiled softly, though his expression was tainted, twisted. As gently, and carefully as he could manage, he removed Sasuke's shirt, exposing his ivory doll-flesh, the soft and breakable expanse, and Sasuke whined softly, though only because of the disturbance to his comfort, and because his treat of affection had been taken away for a moment. Itachi restored the smaller boys comfort by continuing to rub his belly, spoiling the child without him even being aware. The only response Itachi received was Sasuke's little mutterings and noises of gratitude. Itachi was both grateful, and wished that his brother would have slipped into full sleep so that he could stop himself now._

"_I'm just going to look...This is as far as it goes... I'm going to stop now.. I am going to stop now... I'm going to stop...I'm going to stop..." Itachi's eyes flickered red back down at the pale little boy laying just on top of his blankets. He wasn't going to stop- Not yet, he couldn't._

Sasuke's eyes flickered open, but not because of the dream this time. Actually, though it had been the same scenario as usual, tonight it wasn't quite as bad. Those nightmares paled in comparison to the horror he was feeling inside himself now. The teen rolled over slowly, lifting himself from his bed with all the strength that hadn't been sapped during his slumber by some unknown illness that was overtaking him at this very moment. He didn't understand- He hadn't really left his room for a few nights since Itachi had come, aside from finding food to keep himself sustained with each day. How could he have possibly picked up a germ from somebody?

As he sat up he quickly wished that he hadn't, because that was when the full ferocity of his pounding head hit him. It was the most unbearable pressure he had ever felt, and it was tormenting to the point that it pulsed down into the boy's neck, making it feel as if he was holding up a ton of lead with a neck that was barely even connected, as if he had a million tiny spikes dug into his spine, threatening to snap the delicate cord at any moment. He tried to lay back down, and clutch at his head, and force the pain to recede, but the intensity was enough to force him into a swiftly consuming bout of nausea. He breathed rapidly, doing his best to control the illness that was pushing its way out of every sensitive inch of him, but it wasn't working, and he ambled off to his bathroom, feeling as though the ground was spinning beneath his feet. He had barely made it over to hunch weakly over the toilet as a heaving spasm pushed its way up from his stomach, offering no relief, but dry gagging. He succumbed to a fit of coughing after he thought the first bout of spasms were over, and he just stared down at the clear water, gasping for breath as he felt tears roll, without consent, down his cheeks. The real surprise came when he felt the tears drip away from his face, and ripple crimson dots, expanding into the clear water, and dispersing into a faded pink coloration. He reached up, and touched the foreign wetness, only to draw back fingers coated in ruby red plasma; His eyes were... bleeding. Just the realization sent him into another fit of dry heaving, insuppressible misery.

He was only able to hold himself up until the spasms ended, then the pounding heaviness of his own head, and the weakness working its way through every thread of his being overtook him, and he collapsed onto the floor, curled into the fetal position like some helpless infant. He didn't really care to worry about how shameful this would look, he was sure of one fact right now, he was dying. He had no idea why, but it was certain that he would be dead soon. He shivered, closing his burning eyes tightly to alleviate the pain, and so he wouldn't have to see the red puddle slowly collecting on the ground just around his cheek. Sasuke hadn't been this confused and frightened since.. Well... _That_ night.

And very similar to_ that_ night, the apparent reason for the problem soon revealed itself from the shadows, and in the most unpleasantly reminiscent fashion, Sasuke found himself sprawled helplessly on the floor looking up at the impassive face of his elder brother. "I..ta...chi... Bastard...What have you... Done to me..?" Sasuke's voice was hoarse, and weak, and he was hardly able to sound threatening at the moment. Despicably predictable, Itachi just seemed to shrug, and answered with riddled words in an emotionless tone. "..You did this to yourself, Sasuke.."

Sasuke seriously doubted he had done anything to bring on such a death-like state. This torture could only be something Itachi had bestowed on him with the greatest of brotherly love; He may have been desperately afraid of what was pulsing through his frame now, but his inward sarcasm was without fail. This was simply it: Itachi didn't want to die, so he fulfilled his promise to return, though he took advantage and had most likely poisoned Sasuke while he slept, or some such cowardly thing. No...No... Sasuke could not accept this. He wanted to kill his brother, not be killed before he had the chance, and yet now there was not a thing he could do.

And as Itachi moved closer, coming in for what probably was the mercy-kill to 'spare' Sasuke from his suffering, the younger Uchiha made a panicked attempt to escape, though he did about as well now as he had when he was just a child and his brother captured him that night in the woods. He was so weakened that he could just try futilely to push Itachi's hand away as he held him against the ground. Itachi seemed to be holding him easily enough, patiently waiting for the moment that Sasuke would fall still in his lack of energy, but Sasuke could not give up. Even if Itachi killed him here, he would not give up struggling against it. But that was when a curious thing happened. Apathetic ruby eyes stared down at him, but his brother hadn't pulled a weapon on him yet. Rather, Itachi tried to calm Sasuke's flailing. "...shhh...Sasuke- Calm down."

Those words were enough to stop Sasuke's struggling, but if he felt he could even open his eyes right now he would be glaring up at his brother, the same hate present. "What are you doing..? What the hell is happening to me..?" Sasuke hadn't meant for it, but a fearful sort of shakiness had made itself apparent in his voice, even though his words were laced with distrusting hate. Itachi's voice responded promptly, though he didn't fully tell Sasuke what he was wanting to know.

"Don't worry, Sasuke... The worst of this will pass shortly.." Normally Sasuke wouldn't be satisfied with this answer, especially since it was his most hated enemy watching over him in his weakened state, but he was too used up to protest. So, he just accepted it as it was. It didn't mean he trusted Itachi; That was far from ever being accepted as truth- It was downright impossible.

Sasuke flinched away slightly as he felt his brothers fingers brush against his forehead, pushing his bangs back away from his face. He could hear in the plainest detail as Itachi sighed in frustration, and spoke softly, trying to be calming through his own agitation. "Just relax." The elder knew he couldn't blame his brother for this behavior, but it was still bothersome to him.

The younger sibling curled up, clenching his eyes shut even tighter in an attempt to halt the warm flow he felt steadily pouring down his cheeks with no cease yet evident. He was still trying to listen to what was going on as he heard his brother step around him over to the sink, and the unmistakable squeak of the handle being turned, releasing a stream of water form the faucet. Moments later Sasuke flinched again as he felt something cold pressed against his feverish brow. It was a wet rag, and it felt oddly soothing against the teens pounding head.

"Don't close your eyes so tightly, Sasuke, but don't try to open them either, or you will make the headache worse.. Do as I said, relax, and just let the blood flow freely. The faster it drains, the faster this will be over.." Sasuke did as he was instructed now without much hesitation. He needed to stress this, he did NOT trust his brother, but it was undeniable that Itachi knew what was happening now, and he seemed to speak as if he had experienced this same sensation.. He seemed to draw forth some impossible pity from what struck Sasuke as experience.

"..What is.. Happening to me.. Itachi?" Sasuke's mind couldn't begin to feel more at ease until he was filled in. This occurrence was odd enough without him having to be left completely in the dark. He couldn't help but fear what his brother's response would be, however, as he heard the slightest sigh of hesitation. "I'd prefer to wait until you are well enough to handle the explanation.."

Itachi's voice was sickeningly calm, and Sasuke practically growled out a pained response. He was not in the condition to beg, or fight to get his answer, so it would have been better if Itachi would just stop being such an ass, and tell him what he wanted to know. Sasuke was no longer a child, after all. He was sure he could handle it, no matter how sick he happened to be feeling. "..Just.. Fucking.. Tell me."

"Your friend is dead." The response came out quite cold, and harsh. Obviously Itachi had been bothered to the point of not trying to be comforting any longer. And the weight of his words drew out a flinch from the young, helpless teen laid out before him. He gave that a moment to sink in before he continued, his voice still unfeeling and merciless. "I came to inform you, and warn you that this would happen so you wouldn't panic, but I arrived a bit late, and found you in this state... This is happening because, in the end, you caused the death of your closest friend.. And now your eyes are evolving. It is a reward and a punishment just the same.."

Sasuke fell silent after his brother explained. Itachi, the scum, he had planned this, and it made next to no sense at all. He had indirectly acquired the mangekyou sharingan for Sasuke, but what purpose did he have? The teen didn't feel well enough to ponder it right at this very moment, so he switched his brain off the complicated mess of it. Instead he thought of something else, deciding since he had to share a momentary peace with his brother, he would just idly prattle. It would help him focus his attention away from all the pain that was prodding at him from every angle. His voice was tired now, and he sounded as if he were on the verge of passing out, really. "This happened to you, then?"

Itachi's response was quick, and Sasuke noted, this was the second time he gotten a speedy reply from his elder brother. It must have meant something; At the very least Itachi was willing to talk, so long as the attention was focused on acceptable topics. He even had a serene sort of tone about him. It was far too strange. "It did. I remember it clearly enough to have made a quick decision to come here based on how it had felt to be overtaken by this without warning, in complete confusion, and utterly alone.."

Sasuke tried to adjust himself, growing increasingly uncomfortable laying in the floor, though he didn't want to leave this area, and make a mess elsewhere with his nonstop bleeding. His response still came fairly easy, despite his most obvious discomfort. "Tch... You sound as if you really give a shit.." It was a clear an obvious sign that this would not change things between the brothers once Sasuke was well enough to fight. Itachi didn't seem terribly bothered, though Sasuke wasn't able to look at him either, so if Itachi had taken a moment to actually use his face to express something, Sasuke missed it.

"I'm sympathizing with you now.. Yes. But don't fool yourself into believing I expect this to mend our relationship.. I'm not going to be disappointed with the fact that you will still hate me when this is said and done.. Until this point I've overlooked your emotions and I've turned my back when you felt pain.. I would not expect you to forgive me, nor do I regret any of it... This interaction is what it is, and it is nothing more than that."

Sasuke waited for his elder to finish his little monologue before he laughed weakly, doing his best to ignore how the floor was steadily feeling harder and harder underneath his body. He wasn't looking at Itachi, but he didn't have to, he could practically feel his brother's red glare in response to his laughter. "Who are you trying to convince, Itachi..?"

And, accepting the cliches Sasuke had placed upon him, Itachi fell silent as he always did when he had no verbal response, and he felt more safe and comfortable dropping the subject altogether. Typical- Predictable- Uchiha Itachi. But this was the point that Sasuke tried to sit up, and as he did he was promptly floored by the surge of dizziness that overcame him. "Goddamn it... This floor... If I weren't bleeding profusely then I would move to the bed, and try to sleep this out. As is, I'm going to be far too uncomfortable to sleep laying here."

Sasuke got very still, however as he heard Itachi shifting, and moving closer from wherever he had perched himself. The elder brother kneeled next to Sasuke, and lifted his head up slightly, puling the rag away from his head, and dabbing the blood away from his cheeks, and his neck, trying to see if it had slowed. It was relenting just a bit by this point, but it wasn't over. Itachi laid Sasuke's head back down most gently, and moved back to the sink to rinse out the rag again, and once it was clean he placed it back against Sasuke's forehead.

He moved to sit with his back against the wall, and the pop-pop-pop sound of his Akatsuki cloak being unbuttoned met Sasuke's ears, and the blinded boy turned his head to face Itachi's direction, curious. He allowed himself to flinch a bit again as he felt his brother's hands grasping him, and he was pulled up into the elders embrace without much struggle. The teen was positioned so that his form rested comfortably against his elder's, cradled even, and it was just as warm and welcoming as it had looked when Itachi had carried Naruto away.

An embrace that was just as gentle as it could be deadly, Sasuke wanted to remain wary, because his mind was racing at this exact moment. The fact that Itachi's fingers were laced in his black locks, gingerly stroking his pounding head, it made him feel as if he would be sick again. The rush died off soon because of his exhaustion, however, and he fell quite soundly to sleep laying there wrapped in his brother's arms.

"_Are you okay?" Sasuke usually wouldn't bother asking this question, because most of the time Itachi refused to show his weaknesses to anybody. This time, however, he glanced back at Sasuke as if he had something to say, and in return Sasuke sat up, questioning further, worrisome sounding, even for a young child. "What is it?"_

_In a graceful, cat-like movement Itachi moved to the center of the bed, sitting only inches in front of his little brother, and he reached out to clasp Sasuke's frail little hands within his own, tugging them gently upwards to be pressed against each side of his head. Sasuke allowed this, his eyes staring at Itachi most-curiously; Even if Itachi was in some sort of pain, he was behaving oddly, and even his young brother picked up on it._

_The elder dropped his hands to leave Sasuke's where he had placed them, and he spoke up softly. "It hurts." Sasuke wrinkled his brow, concerned greatly, but even more curious. He felt there was more, much more that Itachi was not telling him about. Still, even this was unusual for Itachi to admit, but Sasuke had to question if he only showed this much weakness because the real issues had dulled his brother's usual perception of things._

"_Your head hurts, Nii-san?" His soothing little voice was just as innocent as ever, and laced with his childish concern. Tenderly he let his little fingers stroke through his elder's loose raven hair, delicately rubbing against his pounding cranium. Sasuke was like a helpless little mouse, stroking the mane of an injured lion, hoping to comfort the killer cat enough to make him purr in satisfaction. All lions were always more content to eat that little mouse, though, weren't they? Itachi just sat there, his eyes downcast and hidden by the obsidian bangs that fell over his face, and after a little while Sasuke yawned, and Itachi looked up, brushing the little boys hands away, though he seemed grateful enough for Sasuke's attention. His voice didn't sound any more lively, however, once he spoke. "Sleep, Sasuke."_

He woke just a few hours later, or so he supposed it had only been a few hours, and he was in the exact spot; Itachi's arms were still around him, and he was still wrapped in the black and red of his brother's cloak.

He was increasingly aware, however, of the presence of something heavy laying against his hip, and it struck him as not being very important at first until he considered what it most likely was contained within the inside pockets of Itachi's selected covering. The teen opened his eyes just a bit, and he found that they still felt as if they were burning, but he could bare it. The worst pain had died off, and this he could handle. Without moving, he glanced up at his brother's face, and just as he had hoped, Itachi's eyes were closed, and he seemed to have left himself quite open, and exposed

Slowly, and steadily Sasuke lifted his hand to explore the weight against his hip, his fingers carefully slipping into the inner cloak-pocket to grab hold of a kunai, and he pulled it out, grasping it in his hand just as smoothly as he had found it. Moving slowly in an attempt to not disturb Itachi's sleep, Sasuke lifted the tip of the kunai until he had it against his brother's chest. Curious black eyes wandered back up to Itachi's face, though now Sasuke was surprised to have his stare met with a wary blood red one. Despite his attempts he had roused Itachi; For all he knew he could have been awake the entire time. Strangely enough, that would have meant Itachi had let Sasuke get his hands on that weapon without trying to stop him. And now the elder seemed to defy the younger sibling as he merely watched his eyes, allowing him to hover the blade dangerously close to a fatal blow. The moment extended itself for what seemed like a full minute or two, and Itachi made no move to stop Sasuke for a while, though eventually he took a deep breath, his chest pressing just barely upwards against the sharpened tip, and he let out a sigh as he moved his hand up, his fingers wrapping around Sasuke's, and he didn't truly pry the weapon from the younger male's hand, but rather he coaxed it back into his own grasp.

Sasuke would just say he let it go because he still didn't have his answer.

Tossing the metallic thing out of reach with a noisy clang, both brothers just contentedly continued their napping. It was so damned abnormal, it was like a dream in itself.

When Sasuke awoke again he was laid back in his bed, Itachi was nowhere in plain vision, and the mess that had been made in the bathroom was gone. It made him seriously question if any of it had been real in the first place. The only thing that convinced him, in the end, was the fact that his head still had a subtle throb of pain.

Investigation didn't soon matter, because not long after Sasuke woke up, his brother came wandering in again without a care, as if he lived here, and everything was perfectly okay. Itachi didn't neglect to notice the cold glare he received upon arrival however, and he returned it with his usual emotionless mask. Sasuke's voice spoke out coldly without a single thought. "Nothing has changed."

Itachi nodded his head softly, his expression unchanging aside from the fact that his eyes narrowed momentarily. It held no true meaning; It actually looked as if the elder brother were trying to focus on a blurry image. He spoke up in response, though, and from his clear tone, he understood. "I know."

"My question... Answer it." Sasuke's voice was just as laced with hate for his brother as it had been when they first came face to face. The night's happenings now were just a distant dream, and none of it meant a thing.

The elder closed his eyes, collecting himself as he prepared to explain why Sasuke's life had been spared. It was not a very complicated explanation, but their were so many subtle details that could be questioned, and he preferred it if everything was explained in one go. "Quite simply... The extended use of my Mangekyou sharingan is slowly causing me to lose my vision... With every passing day my eyes perceive the light that much less, and I am steadily descending into complete darkness... I was instructed to leave you alive in order to be my spare set of eyes.."

A moment passed before the complete realization of Itachi's words hit Sasuke full-force. He was overtaken in a strange sense of shock, and it was obvious Itachi saw it by the way he was studying Sasuke, knowing what he had to be feeling, but wondering what deeper thought had come to mind. And, as if Sasuke could read his elder brother's mind, he came clean, though he had desperately wanted to question what he figured was the truth. Something about it hurt him terribly on the deeper level, and a sullen appearance washed over him. His voice matched well, drawling, deep and troubled as his words made his sorrows more clear.

"..That is what you meant by that.."

"_It's fine, Sasuke.. You didn't notice that the branch had a weak spot... It was a mistake, they happen... Just try to be more careful. You're my light, Sasuke."_

_Sasuke glanced up, his heart fluttering at his brother's words, though he didn't fully understand what he meant. "Your... Light?" His tone was tiny but curious, almost smitten, even, by what he perceived to be heavily caring words from Itachi. The elder just nodded as if he had said nothing at all. "The light that brings me out of the dark."_

"I'm your light... The light that brings you out of the dark.." Sasuke's dark eyes stared at the floor, letting another piece of his soul flow out of him, and as it did his emotions bubbled up inside, and the sadness he had suddenly felt was being overtaken in immense anger. His voice was forced out, a dark growl of bitter hatred. "Was every little affectionate thing you ever said to me just some kind of reflection for dark intentions of the future..? Did any of it ever mean a damned thing, you sick, twisted fuck? Or do you just get off on making a child think he is special to you just to throw it all in his face, and slowly pull out the thorns as time passes? ...I can't believe you... I can't believe...-This is low, even for you." The teen clenched his fists, his entire body tensing, and shaking in the ceaseless flow of hatred through his veins. How could Itachi do this? Why did insist on needlessly using such sick, psychological torment? What did Sasuke do to deserve such ill treatment? "I hate you... Do you hear me, I hate you!"

In his anger Sasuke rushed forward blindly, just charging his brother in thoughtless rage. Surprisingly Itachi didn't just easily deflect this little outburst as he could have done, but rather he let himself be pushed backward a few feet, and slammed up against the wall. Sasuke glared at him with fiery red eyes, and killing intent, but Itachi just gazed back at him, impassively, and yet.. Curious. His eyes narrowed as he tried to search deep down in his brother's soul for his answer, and when he found none he decided to ask verbally. "If you hate me so, then why does it bring you so much pain to know my caring words had never meant a thing? ...Why do you hurt from knowing I could throw my own body in between you and a harsh clash with the ground, and plan your imminent and torturous future in the same day? It seems to me that you had been desperately trying to hold onto the bond we once shared by clinging to the pleasant memories I left you with.."

Sasuke glared, his frame racked with his shaking, and he drew his hand back, just to let his open palm smack across his brother's cheek. It was surprising again to see that Itachi just let it be, though once he snapped his head back forward it was obvious he was becoming fed up, and he looked his brother in the eye, his own sharingan flaring, and his normally creamy colored flesh stained pink from the impact of the subtle attack. The younger boy managed to dig words up from deep inside himself, words that he really would be less than comfortable admitting to Itachi, but because of the present situation he couldn't keep himself from saying what was on his mind. "What do you expect Itachi..? I was just a kid when you took everything from me.. You left me with nothing.. I was completely alone in the world... The only thing I really had left were the pleasant memories, and even those hurt to think about... It hurt to know you had deceived me, you had been fake all that time, and you never cared; I didn't mean a thing to you, while you were the most fucking important person in my life... I looked up to you, I trusted you, I spent every last moment of my spare time with you, I practically wanted to be you... I would have done almost anything for you then. You were everything to me, everything, do you understand..?" Sasuke was still looking up at Itachi with such a glare, it seemed to speak as loud as his words of how he viewed his brother now. Despite this, the sudden rush of emotion caused small streams of brackish tears to spill down Sasuke's cheeks; These tears were tinted just the slightest bit pink from the lingerance of blood in the boy's tear ducts.

Itachi's calm red eyes followed the tears as they caressed Sasuke's pale cheeks, and though the teen didn't think his words were even taken seriously by his brother, Itachi was actually deeply thinking, analyzing what Sasuke was saying to him. It took him a moment, but eventually a response formed on his lips. "So...Are you more angry at the simple fact that I walked out of your life, or did the death of our family have anything to do with it _at all_?" His words were about half-serious, and half-sarcastic; Of course he knew that the massacre itself had hurt Sasuke, but the way the boy was making it seem, it appeared as though being away from his brother was what caused him the most suffering. He could already see his younger brother muttering the word, 'bastard' and growing more agitated by the second, so he decided to smooth over his sarcasm just a bit.

"Should I have just tried to keep you with me, Sasuke..? I don't know about you, but I felt that it would have been even more wrong of me to do that after the slaughter.. Kidnapping you, and trying to reconcile, and eventually appealing to your childhood loneliness, and gaining your forgiveness.. Then allowing you to cling to me your entire life, allowing you to grow up tucked safely under my wing, and remaining weak all your life, until the day somebody either killed me and left you alone in the world without an ounce of strength, or used you against me, and just ended up killing us both.. Would you have liked that, Sasuke? ..Or even worse.. If you had been allowed to grow up cherishing me as you had when you were younger.. I can see it now.. The very day I started to go blind and lose my power, you would be at my feet, pleading, begging me to take your eyes, assuring to me that you could withstand the pain without screaming out, and all for me.. Would it have been more appropriate for me to allow that to happen to you..?"

Sasuke just stared back at Itachi as he spoke in that low, but crazed tone. He was pulling these words out of his gut without thought, and it was apparent, because he hadn't stopped for a moment to rationalize what he was saying. The younger boy couldn't believe what he was hearing for a moment; None of it sounded like his brother speaking. Not his Nii-san, nor the brother he had come to hate, but rather... Somebody else. It was most likely a side that Sasuke had not been allowed to view until just now. He let go of Itachi and backed off a few steps. "Listen to what you're saying... You're deranged.. Not only are you speaking complete and total nonsense, but... You are actually making it sound as if what you did was for the best... As if what was done to me had been in my best interest."

Itachi looked off to the side, regaining control of himself as he rejected the opportunity to respond to what his brother was saying to him now. That unfeeling mask was pulled back down, shielding him.

"No.. Don't you do that.." Sasuke spoke out, offended, and trying his best to break Itachi down with words alone. "Don't turn yourself inward again... Keeping speaking your mind, Itachi, or else you will die at my hand without me ever truly knowing you in the first place... Let me see the full extent of your insanity.." Sasuke paused, red eyes burning a hole into his brother who had his face turned away, clammed up behind that neutral expression. Eventually, however, his eyes flashed back in Sasuke's direction, unfeeling crimsons, searching, as his voice poured out sounding more stressed than ever. "You say you hate me Sasuke... But there are still things there... Things your holding onto... Somewhere deep inside yourself... You wish things could go back to the way they were.. You wish we could still be brothers... Don't you?"

Sasuke came forward, Itachi's eyes following him curiously as he did so, and when he stopped he did so only when his face was separated from his brother's by the slightest distance. The elder of the two made no move to back away as his space was severely invaded, but rather he faced Sasuke, showing no sign that he felt anything at all. Sasuke's voice was a low, sweet purr, very reminiscent to how Itachi's had been when he spoke to Sasuke so long ago, but the words he spoke were coated in his venom. "I'll tell you... If you let me take out all my anger on you... If you submit yourself to me, and not even raise a finger in defense."

Itachi's eyes narrowed, and it was then that he walked away from his brother. He walked over to the window, searching for the light of the dawn, but frustratingly enough the window faced the wrong direction; This window was more suited for those who look out at sunsets. He just stood there in silence, and wanting an answer, Sasuke followed him. "Well, Itachi?"

Another minute or two passed in tense silence, and finally Itachi's hand moved inside the folds of his cloak, and when it emerged from the long sleeve, he held out a slip of paper to Sasuke, quickly explaining what it was in an emotionless, monotone voice. "I'll be there for the next three days... If you wish to find me, you'll know where to look.

Sasuke looked down, reading what was written on the paper. It was a town a fair distance from here, and a hotel name, not much, but plenty enough for Sasuke to find his brother again. He just nodded, looking back at Itachi, impassive, and accepting for now.

And on that note Itachi made himself scarce, disappearing out the door without another word or sound.

I wish I could I could have quit you.  
I wish I never missed you,  
And told you that I loved you, every time I fucked you.  
The future that we both drew, and all the shit we've been through.  
Obsessed with the thought of you, the pain just grew and grew!  
How could you do this to me?  
Look at what I made for you, it never was enough and the world is what I gave to you.  
I used to be love struck; now I'm just fucked up.  
Pull up my sleeves and see the pattern of my cuts!

TO BE CONTINUED


	3. Chapter 3

Oh you don't mean nothing at all to me  
No you don't mean nothing at all to me  
But you got what it takes to set me free  
Oh you could mean everything to me

* * *

Sasuke hadn't waited long after his brother's departure to follow him; He allowed Itachi to get a day ahead of him, and on that day he tried to catch up on his sleep. Sasuke could not deny that he was running ragged at this point. He hadn't had a full night of sleep in so long, so he laid down and forced himself to rest for the majority of a day. The next morning he had promptly drug himself out of his bed, and bid a fond farewell to his hotel room. He had gotten so sick of that place, mostly because he had started to imprint memories to certain areas. The corner in the bathroom where Itachi had held Sasuke through the night, the bed where Naruto had laid waiting to be delivered a death sentence from his best friend, the dent in the wall where Sasuke had gotten frustrated after belittling Itachi's deceptive sympathies... Sasuke needed out. He needed to get away before the walls closed in on him, and locked him within forever.

He ate a good breakfast that morning before he got on his way, but he couldn't even think of touching any Dango.

The journey itself was uneventful; Sasuke made good time, and arrived in the town he was instructed to come to just at nightfall. The night was starry, and clear; Warm with the slightest breeze. The teen let his eyes flutter closed as the breeze blew against his face, and ruffled his raven locks. He took a deep breath, feeling strangely peaceful because of the weather, even though, he recalled, it was the exact same conditions that it had been_ that_ night. Lifting his eyelids, and letting those coal-black pools scan upward, he gazed into the deep blue of the sky, dappled by hundreds of bright orbs, then one great, silvery light. He was thinking back to the night the clan had been killed. The stars and the moon had shone mercilessly bright, illuminating every gory detail of the slaughter, and Sasuke could even remember how ominous Itachi looked as the wind whipped at his long black bangs, making it seem like those glowing red eyes were flickering like hell's fire. He had been demonic; Vaguely Sasuke wondered if Itachi had changed much since that night. Not something as heavy as his beliefs concerning killing, because that probably would never change, but silly things, really. Obviously Itachi still loved the taste of Dango, and he still ritualistically watched the sun rise, but did he still do some of those other things he was known for back then? Did he still read informative things when he was bored? Did he still celebrate his birthday by spending more time alone than usual?

_As he did so his voice came out quite softly, delicate, treading with extreme care. "But, Nii-san... Shisui-san is..."_

"_A boy?" Itachi interrupted, intercepting the most expected question before it was fully out of Sasuke's mouth. It seemed, at least, that Sasuke had understood what Itachi told him well enough. "Yes. I know."_

Sasuke shook his head as the old memory came to mind- He really wished he hadn't thought about that, because now he was bound to be unable to stop his mind from the dangerously disturbing thoughts that were creeping through there. Itachi had been with Shisui- A boy. Did Itachi still get with other men, or had he moved on to women? Maybe he liked both? Maybe he had become celibate since the massacre? Maybe Shisui was the only male Itachi had ever been with, and it was just something that happened without much thought involved? What if Itachi had been with his partner before?

Sasuke tried to stop himself there. It was weird enough for him to be trying to figure out what his brother's sexual preferences were, having images of his brother and that large animalistic looking man would be too much for Sasuke to stomach.

Kisame was rather large wasn't he? Sasuke had to wonder, if those two had gotten together, was there really any chance that the blue brute would have been the one on the receiving end? He pondered it for a moment; Yeah, probably not, especially since Itachi seemed much frailer, and smaller, and _prettier_. The thought of Itachi on top in that relationship was just too out there.

But the thought of Itachi on his hands and knees, sweat beading against his skin, his usually emotionless face twisted in pleasure-pain as he allowed the larger man to grasp at his creamy flesh, and guide his body however he wished while he loomed dominantly above, thrusting mercilessly into the younger male, that stopped Sasuke in his tracks, and a hand quickly came up to be rested against his abdomen. He was thinking that he felt a bit sick and woozy now. His belly had just fluttered with some sort of foreign pressure, and for a moment it left him breathless. This wasn't the same as being sick to his stomach, because he had been that many times before, and this was different, but it was weird, and he didn't think it felt good at all. This is when he decided he wasn't going to envision his brother in anymore sexual acts again. Not only was it awkward, and gross, but it made his body do very strange things that it had never done before.

Okay, so he did have to admit he was still curious about who gave and who took when Itachi had gotten with Shisui, but that was reasonable right? He thought about asking Itachi the very same question, just to see if he could get an answer. The look on Itachi's face when those words rolled out of Sasuke's mouth- That would be priceless. Sasuke smiled to himself.

All his rampant thoughts had done him some good, however, because it made the trek through town wither to almost nothing. He now walked into the lobby of a slightly more expensive hotel than the one he had stayed in. He should have guessed his brother was picky. Inside he was greeted by some of the prettiest woman he had ever laid eyes on, but he paid them little mind; rather, he studied all the other people who seemed to be moving about in the rather open space. Each was dressed very nicely in expensive clothes, and Sasuke could only shake his head. For an S-class felon, Itachi wasn't keeping a low profile. He had even signed into the place under his own name- How cocky can you get? Didn't he realize that his name was very likely to be recognized, and he could have been turned in? Or did he even care?

It didn't really matter, aside from the fact that Sasuke would be highly upset if anybody got to Itachi before him. He would be the one to kill him, and the thought of anybody else laying their hands on him was downright enraging. As he headed toward Itachi's room he made a mental note in the back of his mind to say something to Itachi about his stupidity; That was when Sasuke caught sight of somebody familiar. That bestial man that was commonly seen at Itachi's side; The teen just let his eyes turn more icy than usual as he glared, though he was given a grin in return. And what a grin it was, made up of triangular razors, and utterly shark-like. The boy wondered how anybody came to look like that. Luckily he was able to walk past the strange looking shinobi without any fuss, and he continued on to Itachi's room, not even bothering to knock before he walked in. He really didn't care about Itachi's privacy, or being mannerly toward Itachi; Itachi didn't deserve to be treated kindly, especially not from Sasuke.

It didn't really seem to matter anyway, because when Sasuke walked in Itachi was nowhere in plain sight; It was, of course, a larger area than the one room sort of deal he had stayed in himself. He wandered through, passing by a kitchen area, and a hallway that led into a bedroom where there were two large beds. Still not seeing his brother, he continued his search, sauntering confidently through a living room area which seemed to have been rearranged. Actually, everything had been pushed back against the walls, and there was a large, clear space set up. On one wall there was a sliding glass door, and Sasuke opened it, finding it led out onto a deck that overlooked the city, and had a magnificent view of the sky and the Eastern horizon. Undoubtably, this was Itachi's room, because only he would make sure he had a luxurious area to watch the sunrise in the morning. And if that wasn't proof enough, off to the far side of the deck sat Itachi right on the rail, looking out over the city, his bangs and long, dark, red-cloud adorned cloak flicking in the subtle breeze. Sasuke noticed the breeze was a bit stronger up here than it had been on the ground, so much so that its howling caught in Sasuke's ears, and it was all he could hear, even as he noticed Itachi's lips moving; He didn't think whatever was being said had been meant for him anyway, rather, it seemed Itachi had been talking to himself, or some such insanity. Maybe he was praying because he knew how badly his brother would have liked to kick him right off that rail so he could topple down a few stories to the ground.

The younger Uchiha didn't get the chance, however, because once Itachi got ready to acknowledge his brother he slid himself from the rail, and down into a chair sitting just beside the gated edge of the deck. Sitting on the table was a pot of tea, and Sasuke stood watching as Itachi's pale, delicate fingers gripped the handle of the tea pot, pulling back his sleeve a bit so that it didn't accidentally get in the way, and he poured a cup full before sliding it over to a spot on the table that sat in front of an empty chair. It was Itachi's way of beckoning his brother to join him, and Sasuke obeyed, accepting the drink that was offered to him. He sipped at it in silence while staring at Itachi's hands; He had one laid across the other right at the edge of the table in the most refined, pretty manner. Then again, the graceful way he had went about pouring the tea had been rather pretty, and feminine in appearance as well; The way he had pulled back his sleeve reminded Sasuke of a geisha showing her delicate wrist. The teen looked up when he noticed Itachi curl his hands into relaxed fists and remove them from the edge of the table; Itachi had been watching Sasuke watch him, and had apparently removed the distraction of his hands so that Sasuke would focus on his face instead. The boy did just this, eyes like glassy obsidian focusing on those dimly glowing red ones as he sipped at his tea, feeling the tinge of citrus twirling on his tongue; It was Sasuke's very favorite thing to taste in the murky green tea. He figured it was coincidence, because there was no way Itachi would remember, and he would have little reason to be acting hospitable, or kind. Sasuke enjoyed the treat, nonetheless.

Though now they were locked in an intense unbroken eye contact, it was still a few more moments before either of them spoke up. The one who chose to break the extended silence was the elder of the two, and his voice came out dark and unconcerned, despite his words. "You still do not appear very well rested, Sasuke.."

The teen scoffed, hating the way his brother tried to speak words that were almost motherly, in a sense, and yet he sounded like he had lesser things on his mind all the while; things like whether or not he may have left the oven on, like he could not care less. "Yeah, well... Neither do you with those damn dark lines of yours." The boy grinned defiantly, eyeing his brother with distaste clear in the cold, black abyss of his eyes. He watched, hoping for a reaction, any reaction, anger, insult, anything, but it never came. Rather, Itachi just blinked, and turned his glittering scarlet pools back toward the starry sky, impassive. This was not very satisfying, so Sasuke spoke up again. "Besides... I don't need to be rested for this fight, because I'm fighting an unresponsive opponent, remember?" The younger brother taunted, and still got no rise out of Itachi; He groaned lowly, disappointed.

He didn't have to worry with Itachi right now, though, because the more Itachi frustrated him now, the harder the beating was going to be.

Sasuke drank down the last sip of his tea, and sat the cup on the table, pushing it over to his brother, hinting. He wanted to see Itachi pour it again, plus.. It really was the best thing Sasuke had drank for a while. Apparently, Itachi somehow had the funds to afford more exquisite things, and Sasuke barely made ends meet. He watched in awe of the way his brother handled the pouring in the same graceful way, then he slid Sasuke's cup back without spilling a drop out of it. For some strange reason it made Sasuke want to break those pretty wrists, and pale fingers, and leave Itachi's slender hands completely crumpled and useless.

After Itachi poured the tea he laid his hands in his lap, and looked off again, and Sasuke noticed that his elder brother wasn't partaking in the drinking of the fine liquid. It didn't really confuse him, but since he had a few ideas why Itachi seemed to be lacking any appetite, he decided to mention it in the most innocent fashion. His voice was purred out striking a curious tone. "Aren't you going to drink?"

The elder let his eyes fall closed, and he shook his head softly, his bangs waving against his forehead. "No."

Sasuke just watched Itachi, sitting so serenely in the intense silver glow of the moon, looking as though he was worried by nothing, and yet troubled by some little menial something. It was a contradiction, but, Sasuke understood what he had meant in thinking this- His brother seemed very.. Sad. Not like Sasuke gave a shit, he was more concerned with the addicting flavor of the tea he was sipping at.

Finally Itachi let his eyes snap open, and he sighed softly, almost to the point of being completely inaudible. He glanced up at Sasuke, crimson eyes focused, yet pensive; Another contradiction, but Itachi was a contradiction against everything, so it was fitting enough. His voice was as emotionless as always. "Do you remember my question, Sasuke?"

The younger brother nodded, and watched as his brother stood, walking into the cleared-out living area, and he took off his cloak, throwing it off to the couch that had been pushed back against the wall. Following Itachi into the room, Sasuke observed him with curious amusement, especially as Itachi straightened, and looked up at him with that impassive mask. The teen raised an eyebrow, and Itachi took a deep breath before speaking, low but emotionless. "Then... If your ready."

Sasuke laughed under his breath and muttered something along the lines of 'You don't have to tell me twice..' but Itachi probably didn't hear because he just watched as Sasuke came closer, not moving a muscle or responding in any way at all. The younger of the two got within arms length of his brother, and after a seconds pause he threw a punch aimed directly at Itachi's face, though right at the last moment he stopped. His stark white knuckles were not even a centimeter from impact, and he observed, his brother hadn't cringed, or moved, or acted as if he was going to counter... He didn't even blink. Sasuke scoffed, though as he spoke his voice came out a bit uncertain. "I hadn't thought you would really allow this.."

Itachi just nodded in response, and without another thought Sasuke flung his fist into his brother's jaw, and followed it up with another punch to the opposite side of his motionless targets face, and a merciless knee to his gut, and an elbow to the back of his head to put him on the ground. The teen paused then, a smirk plastered across his face as he watched Itachi on his hands and knees. "I wish you would get up, or else I might have to feel bad about kicking you while your already on the ground." He was taunting, trying his best to break into Itachi's head, cutting away at the immense pride he knew lurked inside. It was a flurry of mental and physical abuse, and Sasuke wondered how long it would take for him to break his brother down. He savored that thought- Perhaps Itachi would wind up begging for him to stop? For now it had just begun, and Itachi came to his feet in a graceful movement- He seemed so much like a ghost floating upward.

The abuse may have been slight so far, but already the elder brother's lower lip appeared to be stained a darker red from a small gash. Sasuke smiled, and continued, wanting to see his brother bleed much, much more. He let those unrelenting knuckles pound against Itachi's face again, aimed at his mouth, at those pretty lips that Sasuke wanted to see coated in blood. The boy was lucky he didn't notice how he was almost getting off at the thought of that. Sasuke came at Itachi again, and again, and again without stopping until he had backed his brother against an empty wall, and even then he continued until the moment he was ready for a pause. He smiled, glancing down at his bloodstained knuckles, then back up to his brother's profuse bleeding, and he snickered, savoring this up until the moment that he caught sight of his brother's eyes looking up at him, the sharingan deactivated, and those eyes coal black, and challenging, just as they had been when Sasuke was a child. Itachi smirked with bloody lips, and spoke up softly. "Is that all you have, Sasuke... Or are you hitting me with pulled-punches?"

Hearing those words Sasuke glared, gritting his teeth as his own eyes flickered blood red in anger. He saw his brother smile for just a moment before he let his fist slam into his elder brother's abdomen, and his free hand came up to clasp Itachi by the neck as he was hunched over slightly, breathless from the blow. The younger boy squeezed, holding Itachi upright as his fisted hand pounded into his gut mercilessly, and so many times that after a while Sasuke lost count of how many times he had hit Itachi. He was becoming frustrated now, not just because of his brother's words, but because no matter how many times or how hard Sasuke hit him, Itachi refused to show any pained response. He just stood there with his eyes closed, taking the beating as if he were sleeping through it. It made Sasuke question if he really had passed out, though he knew better than to think Itachi had been put out by this little abuse.

The younger boy only stopped, and dropped his brother to the ground when he noticed Itachi cough slightly, and once on the ground Itachi clapped a hand against his mouth as he coughed up a mouthful of blood. Sasuke watched the crimson fluid leak out between Itachi's thin fingers, and down his wrist and chin, dripping everywhere in a most delightful fashion. Sasuke didn't want to let the morbid beauty of the moment to pass, rather he felt the need to force it to escalate, so he jerked his brother up by his bloodied wrist, and with one hand he pinned Itachi's hands above his head against the wall. His brother gave him nothing but an emotionless stare as he did so, but he quickly punched Itachi in the same area on his abdomen as he had been focusing before, hoping to do more damage, and it was all too amazing as Itachi coughed again as the blow made contact, and a few droplets of blood splattered across Sasuke's face. He smirked wickedly, feeling the crimson run down his cheeks.

His moment of happiness was ruined, though as Itachi's scarlet-stained lips curled into his little weasel-smile, and his voice poured out softly again, taunting as though he weren't being assaulted. "Why don't you use your full strength Sasuke... You can't break me.. Even then you would be completely incapable of doing so.."

Those words made Sasuke stare in utter disbelief for a moment, especially as a delicate thumb came up to smear the blood dripping down Sasuke's pale cheek. He let out an enraged growl, slapping Itachi's hand away, and he started to pound his sibling without any restraint. He just punched him madly, not really caring where he hit him, and he continued without clear end ahead for a long time, up until he was panting breathlessly, and he seemed to have run out of the energy or will to continue. Crimson eyes glared tiredly at Itachi, burning into that stoic man as he still just stood, looking as though he hadn't felt a thing. Goddamn him. Sasuke took a breath and yanked a kunai from the folds of his white haori, letting the sharpened blade glint in the silvery moonlight. Itachi didn't bother looking down at it, and for a moment Sasuke wondered if he could even see without his sharingan active, but it mattered very little, really. Sasuke admired just the way the shine off the blade reflected in Itachi's glassy raven eyes, especially as he pushed his brother back with more force against the wall, and he grasped one of those pretty wrists, and lifted it up, exposing Itachi's arm to any damage Sasuke felt the need to do. He understood that there was an unspoken limit to what he could do, but he would push it as far as he could. He splayed his fingers, each little digit pressing against Itachi's own, flattening them against the wall, and exposing the very tips of his fingers. Those were the very first places Sasuke decided to cut with his kunai; Right on his brother's fingertips so that he wouldn't be able to use that hand with there being the painful reminder. Still, Itachi gave no response, he just looked ahead as if he felt nothing. Sasuke's voice came out feral, and growled as he spoke in frustration. "You piece of shit.. Why don't you give some sign that you can tell I'm here... Stop acting as if you don't feel this.."

Itachi blinked and his eyes flickered up to look blindly at Sasuke; He stared, still impassive, for a long while before those blood stained lips formed words. "I don't believe that acting as if this is excruciating and degrading myself were part of the deal, Otouto.."

Sasuke's open hand slapped across Itachi's face, insulted, and Itachi bit his lip, most likely feeling offended that Sasuke had smacked him as if he weren't even beating another grown man. After that, all was still for a moment, up until Itachi spoke up softly, his voice almost inaudible. "Is that what you wanted more than the opportunity to cause damage to my body..? To feel as though you hurt me, rather than doing true harm?"

The teen didn't even give a response; He just let his blade lick across the palm of his brother's hand, creating a line that spilled out ruby liquid. To his surprise Itachi actually winced from it, and Sasuke raised a delicate eyebrow. His brother was just faking this now, humoring him, and while Sasuke found something very aggravating about this, it really was what he longed for at this exact moment. He had wanted Itachi's blood, and to beat him, but now he wanted to hear him in pain. He traced the tip of the blade along his arm, not enough to cut, but enough to let him feel it, just to test what he would do. The shudder that passed through him was pleasing enough, and Sasuke continued until the blade tip was against his elder brother's shoulder, and he pressed against it, applying enough pressure to break the skin and bring a droplet of blood to the surface. This caused Itachi to wince, though he still made no noise, or he didn't until Sasuke jerked against the blade making a jagged cut across Itachi's shoulder. Itachi let his head fall forward slightly, and a tiny moan of pain escaped his lips. Sasuke smirked as he removed the pressure from the blade, ghosting it teasingly across his brother's flesh again until he had it rested, pointed down against his chest, looking as though he intended to stab Itachi through the heart, and kill him instantly. It should have made Itachi nervous, considering Sasuke's eventual intent, but he just kept his calm exterior focused. The younger boy's free hand brushed against Itachi's neck as he reached around to the back of his head, twining his fingers in his brother's long ebony hair. The teenage boy only questioned why his brother falsely shivered as his hand brushed softly against the skin of his neck; That hadn't been meant to cause him pain, so why was he giving reaction to that? He didn't think too hard about it, he was busied with the act of jerking Itachi's head back up so he could look him in the eye. Sasuke held his brother in that position as he put pressure behind the kunai against Itachi's chest. The elder winced, but never stopped this action, and he even let out another pained moan as Sasuke continued to push the sharpened blade down.

The younger boy's voice pushed out from behind his lips, crazed, and as twisted as Itachi himself. "You should beg me to stop now while your still alive.."

The elder just laughed lowly, his eyes flashing red at last, and he gave a quick response. "That- I won't do, Sasuke."

Sasuke growled, blood crazed, and his voice came out sounding madly animalistic. "Do it!"

And it was then that Itachi decided to put a stop to this; In a flash his hand came up to grasp Sasuke by his wrist, and he quickly pulled the kunai away, and swapped places with Sasuke before the young boy even knew what had happened. One moment Sasuke had a blade at his brother's heart, and the next he was pinned against the wall with his brother's blood-soaked form pressing against him, holding him there. The hand which held the kunai had been redirected and now the blade was pressed to Sasuke's neck in a most threatening manner. One set of crimson eyes met another, yet Itachi was staring without a speck of feeling, still.

After a momentary stare-off, Itachi smirked and leaned in, his lips practically pressed against the shell of his younger brother's ear as he whispered to Sasuke. "The taste of blood is an addictive one, isn't it, Otouto?" And Sasuke gasped as he felt the tip of his brother's tongue lap against his porcelain cheek, cleaning away the blood that had been splattered there. Sasuke would have rebelled against it immediately, but the shock of unexpected heat caught him off guard, though luckily enough Itachi backed off, ending the awkward contact almost as quickly as it had begun.

Sasuke was looking at Itachi now, trying to hide how his nerves had jumped at the feel of his brother's tongue, and a hand came up to wipe gingerly at his own cheek, as if trying to erase any trace that may have remained there. The elder just stared, looking like he had done nothing out of line, and he allowed his voice to ring out, soft but stern still. It was funny how his tone sounded very resembling to Fugaku, with just that extra touch of gentle mannerliness that made him, undeniably, Itachi. "Answer my question, if you please, Otouto."

The younger boy was still staring, dazed for another second or two, and then he shook his head. He watched Itachi's eyes narrow at this, and the teen recognized that this was probably a bit confusing to Itachi; This may have been refusal to answer, or it may have been the answer itself, that much Itachi couldn't possibly know. Sasuke swallowed, seeing if he could down that pounding pulse in his throat, and make way for his voice to escape.

"Never... Not even if I wanted our relationship back.. I couldn't.." Sasuke spoke very breathlessly, and the stumbling words were cut off sharply by Itachi's voice; Itachi had allowed a tinge of anger to slip into his tone. "That wasn't the question, Sasuke... Do you wish for it? Is there even a tiny piece of you that wants it back?"

The force of his brother's voice caused Sasuke to cringe slightly, but he shook his head, still denying what Itachi was asking of him. There was no way he would ever want anything but death for his brother, and that was simply that.. It was all he had lived for up until this point.. To see Itachi die. This didn't stop Itachi from rapidly moving forward again, pinning Sasuke back against the wall. The younger boy tried to struggle, but he was repaid sarcastically with a smack across his face. He knew Itachi had only done it so that he would fall still after realizing the shame being dealt out. As much as Sasuke wanted to deny it, it had worked, and he looked up at his brother, the surprise still evident, but slowly the usual hatred slipped slowly back into his gaze. The only reason he didn't continue to fight against being held right now was because Itachi's face was so very close to his own, too close, in fact. One wrong movement and their lips would have touched; Sasuke's clean, satin lips, against those painted ruby just before his own, that wouldn't do.

Sasuke closed his eyes as Itachi spoke, his warm breath so unbearably close to Sasuke's face, rushing against the younger boys skin, and Sasuke could only groan in the awkwardness of the situation. "You're lying to me, now, Sasuke."

Sasuke shook his head again, mostly wanting to turn his face away from Itachi, but he couldn't allow himself to look weak and fearful now; He really wasn't afraid, just.. He didn't know. Itachi was too close, his body was pressing against Sasuke's, he was in Sasuke's face, and it was probably the most uncomfortable situation he could possibly be in. He forced his voice out, sounding as angry, and offended as he truly was, and his hopes were that Itachi would back off. "I'm not lying... I hate you, and no part of me ever wants to have our relationship back.. It wasn't even real, it was all fake, so why the hell would I want to live a lie all over again?"

Sasuke was jerked by his wrist after his response, and his hand that still contained the kunai was yanked up; he had forgotten all about the kunai in the surprise of the moment. He thought, for whatever reason, Itachi was going to make an attempt to kill him now, and he started to struggle again, though it was short lived. To his perplexing surprise, the blade was held at Itachi's own neck, and Sasuke just stared, bewildered. The look in Itachi's eyes, it was unlike anything he had ever seen, it was mixed and heavy with so many things the elder would never allow to show. It was so much so suddenly on a normally emotionless face, Sasuke wasn't even able to identify what it was painting his brother's usual mask now. So instead he focused on his brother's crazed actions; He watched that glinting blade held dangerously near the elder brother's pulse; He watched as red fluid dotted against his skin, though it was what had been staining the sharpened weapon already, rather than anything from a new cut. And despite everything, Itachi's voice came out calm, fluid, low and purring.

"If that is the truth, then kill me now...I've given you a hundred opportunities, but you never do it..."

That moment rang in dead, still, silence. Itachi lowered his hand from the kunai, leaving it in its deadly position, held only in Sasuke's grasp, at Sasuke's will, should he want to easily end his brother's life now. Despite everything, though, Sasuke only glared, and he never once moved that shaking hand forward, he never once pushed pressure behind that blade, and though he had the chance to spill almost every crimson drop within his brother's body, he didn't do it, and he had no idea why he didn't. The moment just dragged on and on continuously until eventually Itachi closed his eyes, and backed away, turning without another word, and he disappeared in a graceful flow of movement out of the room, down the hallway, and most likely to go and wash himself up.

Sasuke freed his lungs from the stale air he had been holding inside, letting it all out in a giant rush of breath, and he stood there, panting, and questioning... What the hell had just happened? No matter how he tried, he couldn't wrap his mind around what had just come to pass. There was Itachi, vulnerable, open, _asking_ to be killed, and the younger boy had just stood frozen, and he had let the chance slip away in silence. Why? Why had he done that? Why hadn't he just killed Itachi right there?

He was lost in utter confusion. Finally, though, he moved from the wall he had been perched against, and back out to the deck, waiting for Itachi to rejoin his company.

_Sasuke nodded against his brother's shoulder, and he just assumed that asking any questions was not allowed. He chanced it, however, thinking of one little thing that may have been acceptable to say. "Nii-san...What will happen if I say something about it on accident?"_

_Sasuke could almost cringe from the way his question cause his brother to halt in his footsteps, his body rigid and tense. Itachi was silent, as if thinking of what the answer to this was; Sasuke feared what that would be. When the elder spoke up his voice was calm, and to-the-point._

"_...I could be killed..."_

_Sasuke whimpered, and wrapped his arms around his brother that much tighter. Itachi started to walk again, and Sasuke whispered softly against his shoulder. "I understand, Nii-san."_

Sasuke's fragile mind was lost in thoughts of the past, reminiscence, and he was desperately trying to get in touch with that little boy he had once been. The little boy who was clinging to his brother that night, feeling every warm pulse beneath the elder's flesh that assured he was a living, breathing, human being; And how frightened had he felt then at the thought of Itachi being lost to the world? The thought of that strong, elegant body that had been holding and protecting him laying limp and lifeless and no longer able to give Sasuke those precious things he constantly craved. It was so terrifying and alien then. His Nii-san was so much, though he was mostly hidden from the world beneath a mask, and if he died then the soul that Sasuke had been constantly trying to drink in, and fill himself with so he could come to understand it, it would be gone forever, and the flesh that was puppet to the mind would become a hollow shell without consciousness, and wither, and rot, and be absorbed into the earth, gone forever.

_Forever._

That little boy would have done anything back then to keep his brother alive, and with him. His brother was everything to him, and he couldn't stress that enough. But Sasuke thought, painfully burdened by the momentary lapse of his false strength, he hadn't changed, had he? Itachi had lied to him, deceived him, stolen everything from him, and yet... Being around again, it was like falling into the very pulse of the brothers they once were, even if things had changed immensely.

Another notable change was in Itachi himself- Sasuke had painted a perfectly despicable portrait of his brother in his mind; The man he had seen for just a few minutes the night of the massacre. He was cold, and murderous, and traitorous, and he was not the brother Sasuke had been with all the other times in his life. He only resembled that man; If anything he had killed that man. This fake had consumed Sasuke's real brother from the inside, and was only living inside his skin, using Itachi's body as a puppet; He was just a parasite, and Sasuke couldn't allow that parasite to continue to parade Itachi's body around, shaming his name.

But all that had been tossed to the side, because somewhere underneath that blood-stained skin, Itachi was still lurking inside, and he wanted to be set free. This is what made things harder now. Before, Sasuke had been his cold, grown, adult self, and his brother was just a shell of flesh to be despised, but now that everything was drawn into the light, Sasuke was that little boy clinging to his brother again, though his brother who he loved dearly was somebody that had cut him apart, only to appear as if he wanted to bandage those wounds, kiss things better, and get the tender child's inevitable forgiveness. Sasuke couldn't be forgiving now, though. He could not do it. What Itachi had done was inexcusable, and he would never be absolved.

Sasuke was no God, and he held no divine reprieve for the wicked. He was only human, and he would do what bloodthirsty mortals did, he would get revenge.

Soft, black eyes flickered up as Sasuke was joined by another presence out on the deck. There, in the doorway, stood Itachi, looking out at the sky for a few seconds before he slowly strode over to the table, and sat down; And never once did those luminous ruby orbs glance up to meet Sasuke's. Why?- Sasuke wondered. The teen, himself, boldly looked up at his brother, studying him in the silvery moonlight. His face had been cleaned up, and was no longer bloodstained, though the obviousness of new bruises tinted Itachi's pale cheeks a dull grayish-purple. It was such a soft mixture of color, it almost appeared as if it has been brushed on, and just as any powder, it could be wiped away just as easily. The one hand Sasuke had abused was laid on top of the other, just at the edge of the table, and he let his eyes wander over the stark white wrapping that encased the entire thing. Itachi was probably bandaged in a few other places, and his abdomen was likely dappled with splotchy bruises in the shape of Sasuke's fists. Yes, Sasuke had done this to him, and Itachi let Sasuke do it, all for the sake of an answer.

It was an answer he hadn't wanted to hear, in the end. An answer he denied. An answer that he claimed had been lies, and it _was_ wasn't it? This was not the Itachi that Sasuke had envisioned fighting; This Itachi had practically been _begging_ the teen to say that he still loved him.

Sasuke couldn't breathe in the sound of silence, so he spoke up, carefully thought out words, words of truth that flowed from behind the hate he had fostered all these years. "Your were right, Itachi... I did lie." Only then did those red eyes glance up to meet Sasuke's, and the teen continued. "I do wish we could still be brothers... I wish we could still have that close relationship we once had, because.. I realize you really are the person you claimed to have never been... But all that is irrelevant. The cold fact of things is that no matter what I wish, it can never be so... You gave up my affection and adoration long ago when you committed vast evils in pursuit of something to make you happier than I was ever able to... And you should realize that."

Sasuke reached out, and lifted the tea pot, pouring just enough into his cup to warm up what he had left sitting. He did it himself this time because he didn't want to see Itachi have to struggle with it, or worse, not struggle at all. To see him do it just the same, and continue to act as if he felt no pain, that would be worse.

Itachi himself never spoke a word and Sasuke continued to wait while he sipped at his tea. However, he eventually finished it off, and at that point he stood, his voice pouring out steady, and calm. "I'm leaving then."

To this, the teen noticed Itachi's eyes flicker up to meet his, and Sasuke paused, noticing that words were hovering just on the tip of his brother's tongue. Finally, he allowed them to be spoken. "You can stay here, Sasuke."

While Sasuke had noted the fact that there were two beds, the thought of sleeping in the same room with his brother made him very edgy. First off- He didn't know at what point his brother's partner would decide to show back up, if he even did. Secondly- Not only had Sasuke denied that he could ever have a relationship with Itachi again, and therefor admitted he still intended to kill him, but..

"_Quite simply... The extended use of my Mangekyou sharingan is slowly causing me to lose my vision... With every passing day my eyes perceive the light that much less, and I am steadily descending into complete darkness... I was instructed to leave you alive in order to be my spare set of eyes.."_

...There was also that little fact. Itachi was falling steadily into complete blindness, and for a moment Sasuke wondered just how bad Itachi's vision had become. It was obvious that he could not see at all without the aid of his sharingan, or else he wouldn't be wasting the chakra to keep it constantly activated, but how well was his vision beyond that fact? The most troubling question was, what if Itachi was using his expert skills of deception to make Sasuke lower his guard so that taking his eyes would be more easy? For some reason or another, probably out of sheer foolish stupidity, Sasuke didn't think this was the case. Itachi had gone far beyond what he would be comfortable with just for deception, but then again, who was Sasuke to make assumptions?

After a moment of thought, Sasuke spoke up quite simply in response. "I'm not comfortable sleeping in the same room as you... I don't trust you."

The boy was returned with that impassive expression; It had finally made its way back to Itachi's countenance, and just as matter-of-factly, Itachi gave a straight response. "You slept in my arms a few nights ago, and nothing unfortunate happened to you then... You'd do best to accept what I'm offering to you, it is obvious you're barely surviving on your own.."

Sasuke glared down at his brother, but just sighed. He may have been offended, but Itachi spoke the undeniable truth, and Sasuke was terribly exhausted still, and he also had very little money to his name. Staying here was the easiest option. He just nodded to his brother, and left the deck, ready to take full advantage of the bed that had been provided.

* * *

You can't quit until you try  
You can't live until you die  
You can't learn to tell the truth  
Until you learn to lie  
You can't breathe until you choke  
You gotta laugh when you're the joke  
There's nothing like a funeral to make you feel alive  
I know some things that you don't  
I've done things that you won't  
There's nothing like a trail of blood  
to find your way back home

* * *

_It was easy to see those magnificent__ muscles ripple under Itachi's skin as his hand moved along his tiny brother's belly, then upward, over his shoulder, over his tender little neck, and up still until his hand was rested against the small boy's cheek, and Itachi laid over, propped on his elbow as his face hovered just above Sasuke's, and he stared down with eyes reflecting all the blood they had seen in their time. Lifeless little black stones still stared up at the man just above, and Itachi smiled as his fingers caressed the smaller boy's full cheeks, savoring the feel of the baby fat that still clung to the child's immature body. He was so soft, and silky to the touch._

_Itachi just stared for a while before he tilted his head, a curious look glinting, captured within those ruby reb optics, and he spoke softly to his baby brother, purring comfortingly, and pleading most lovingly all the same, though his intentions were sickening and twisted. "Sasuke... Would you like for me to kiss you again... Like I did the other night to prove you were special to me?"_

_There was a pause, and Sasuke blinked, his voice just as low, but more blank than his brothers. It was amusing how much of his logic filtered through, though he was unconscious. "Nii-san can kiss me... If Nii-san loves me."_

_The elder brother, red-eyed demon that he was, his lips twisted into a smile as he lapped up the sugary-sweetness that leaked from Sasuke's mouth. It was all very heart-warming, but even more enticing to Itachi because he was utterly vulnerable, and unable to stop himself from his demented desires. He had a deadly sweet tooth, and Sasuke's sugar-coated words led his elder brother right to the lips from which they had poured out. Itachi pressed his lips down against Sasuke's, delicate fingers pushing against the boy's chin so that the elder could gain further entrance to Sasuke's innocent little mouth, to that confused little tongue that moved against the elder's, not even aware what this slick sensation was._

_The small boy jerked a bit, but he was held still by the clasping hand on his chin, and in his bout of being so utterly and unconsciously unsure of what was going on, he made the tiniest little whine against his brother's lips. The larger form moaned softly in return before pulling his lips away from his captured prey, and he watched, looking so very pleased with himself as a sticky thread of saliva trailed from his lips to Sasuke's, then broke in the center. Itachi used a delicate thumb to wipe away the mess on his brother's reddened lips, and smiled a smile that was sickeningly brotherly as he watched Sasuke pant, and gasp for air. _

"_..nnn...Couldn't breathe.." Those were the soft, innocent little words that came out of the boy's mouth; A mouth that had just been tainted by Itachi's venomous tongue. The elder just smirked as his fingers stroked down along the small boy's belly again, only stopping when they hooked against the waistband of Sasuke's sleep pants. "Then... Let me breathe for you, Otouto.."_

_Itachi's lips locked against Sasuke's again, his tongue pushing deep into the boy's mouth, and he jerked Sasuke's pants right off, his hand grasping for what his evil heart desired most._

Sasuke sat straight up in the bed, his eyes glistening dangerous red, and he gasped, his hand coming up to wipe against his wet lips. For a frightening moment he couldn't escape from the dream that had just played through his mind, and he wondered if Itachi really had been kissing him just now. Speaking of Itachi; Sasuke had to let his mind catch up, because he had forgotten he was sleeping in his brother's hotel room. His crimson optics flickered around the dark of the room, perceiving fairly easily since his eyes were adjusted to the dark, and the silver light from the sky was still pouring in from the windows. The teen adjusted himself in the bed, noticing something rather... unfortunate to say the least. He gasped again, feeling his stomach twist painfully as it became clear that his dream had a rather curious and unusual effect on him tonight. Between his legs lurked a tingling warmth that was almost alien to him; Regretfully his mostly virgin sex had hardened eagerly, waiting for the envisioned stimulus that had now been cut off, and Sasuke was about to feel sick unless he denied himself this. Curiously he let his fingers slip slowly under his clothes, however, and he tested the perceptiveness of his flesh as if it didn't truly belong to him. Careful fingertips traced along the velvet softness of the organ, and Sasuke bit his lip as he allowed his hand to wrap around it for a moment before he pulled his hand away. He sighed, laying his palm back down against his mattress, and remembering a certain detail of his current residence he let his crimson eyes snap over to the other side of the room.

There, all the way across the dark field of vision was Itachi's bed, and though Sasuke wished it had been an illusion, his eyes slowly focused on the image of Itachi sitting up in his bed just as Sasuke was doing now. The teen snapped his legs shut, and he curled himself slightly, as if his brother really could tell he had an erection right now. He watched, trying to see what Itachi was doing, but though he was sitting up, he wasn't moving at all. He had his knees drawn up, and he was hunched over with his head laid against his knees, and it appeared as if the elder male had his fingers curled into his loose black hair, caressing his scalp with the pads of his fingers. Nervously Sasuke spoke up, mostly just to see if Itachi was indeed awake, or if he had just fallen asleep in some strange upright position. "Don't you sleep..?"

There was a long pause, but after a while Sasuke could have sworn he noticed a tiny hint of movement from the shadow sitting across the room from him, and shortly after there was another, more visible movement. Sasuke was sure he saw Itachi's head turn in his direction. And then his voice sounded softly across the room, coming out not just in a whisper, but almost weakly. "About as well as you... Otouto.."

The younger male gulped, his eyes widening slightly. Had Itachi noticed how troubled his slumber was? Worse- Had Sasuke maybe made noises or spoken out while he was having that disgusting nightmare? Even worse still- What if Itachi somehow knew what he was dreaming about AND he found out about Sasuke's little malfunction between his legs?

Weakly Sasuke's words stammered out. That probably wasn't helping his case any. "Y-You knew that I was having trouble sleeping?"

The question was followed by a long pause, and Itachi was still again. It made Sasuke wonder again if he had fallen asleep, or if he was maybe thinking up a false answer. Everything about this was dreadful. Finally, though, Itachi spoke up, his voice just as pained-sounding as it had been the first time. "I knew... there must have been some reason behind the fact that you always seem like... You haven't slept.."

The teen could do little more than accept this answer as truth, because lingering with the subject would only make the elder suspicious if Itachi actually didn't know anything. Rather, Sasuke decided to verbally acknowledge the fact that his brother seemed to be suffering. "Are you in some kind of pain, Itachi..?"

Another long silence. Why couldn't that man just answer questions straight up rather than waiting? Didn't he realize Sasuke was beginning to get impatient. Eventually, though, he did answer. "..Just a headache... It happens when I use my sharingan for long periods of time... It should pass shortly."

Sasuke scoffed, and spoke up some such nonsense resembling, "What a pity.", in reference to Itachi's pain dying off shortly. He hadn't quite meant that, however, he just wanted to seem very cold; Really it made him wonder how long before his own sharingan started suffering from the damages of simple use. And how bad could it get for Itachi if he continued to try and use those eyes? They caused him headaches now, at what point would it start to do worse things?

Draping his blanket around himself, confident it would provide enough cover along with the dark ambience of the room, Sasuke rose from his bed, and clambered slowly over toward his brother's. He saw Itachi look up as he approached, but otherwise he gave no response as Sasuke crawled up to face him in his bed. The teen allowed his blanket to pool around his waist, covering up everything just below that pretty efficiently.

Then he heard Itachi's voice, that goddamned pained tone he was speaking in because of his aching, and he spoke softly one single word, questioning. "..Sasuke..?"

The younger boy's words of response were quick and harsh; Cold because he wished to deny that he was even doing this. "Be quiet." And surprisingly enough his brother obeyed, most likely aghast as Sasuke's hands reached up, his fingers combing through his soft, raven locks, and rubbing at his pounding head, just as he had when he was a child. He had no idea himself as to why he was doing this; He supposed he sort of owed Itachi for comforting him the night he, himself, had been in so much pain. Whatever- Everything that occurred would be lost in the grip of the night, just as it had been last time. Sasuke remained like this for a long while, his finger's caressing, comfortingly as his thumbs pressed in tiny circles along the elder brother's temples. Eventually, however, Sasuke conjured words relative to the situation. "You could fix this... If you had my eyes, right?"

Itachi glanced up, though his eyes were faded black, and undetectable beneath his dark bangs. Still, he spoke up, regardless, though his voice was the same soft whisper. "..Yeah."

Sasuke narrowed his own eyes, though he continued to pet his suffering older brother. The most obvious question then pressed itself forward. "Do you still plan on taking them... Or do you think you can live with constant headaches and the eventual blindness?"

"I'll tell you.." Itachi spoke up, his voice becoming a bit more clear now. "If you go back to Konoha tomorrow, and stay through the night at our old house... In the room were Ka-san and Tou-san were killed.." To those words, Sasuke fell silent. It wasn't like this feat was scary or spooky to him, he just found it hard to believe that Itachi would suggest something so... cruel. The younger boy must have allowed Itachi's deceptive softness get to him. "That is enough of a challenge for you, right, Otouto..?"

"Yeah." Sasuke spoke up, his voice now sounding rather dreary, and he let his hands drop to his sides. He glanced upward though as he felt Itachi reach out, and grab his hand tightly, as if to keep him from leaving. The younger boy tugged at his hand, but Itachi didn't relent, and he simply fell still, waiting for his brother to either let him go, or make his intentions known. Those intentions came in the form up whispered words.

"...Thank you Sasuke.."

There was a long pause, and after a moment Itachi let go of his brother. Sasuke just nodded through the darkness at him, though he hesitated before leaving his brother's bed. There was a good reason for the hesitation, however.

"Where will we meet again..?"

Itachi's response this time was fairly quick, and his words were gentle, though he seemed to be in much less pain than he had been. "..I'll find you, Sasuke.."

The teen nodded to this, and got up to return to his own bed, just hoping his dreams wouldn't become that much more horrifying because of the closeness he had steadily been allowing.

He never did get the courage to ask his brother if he was on top or bottom when he was with Shisui. It was probably best at this point that he didn't know.

* * *

I see hell in your eyes  
Taken in by surprise  
And touching you makes me feel alive  
Touching you makes me die inside

* * *

TO BE CONTINUED


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Hello, my readers, I'm just here to say that I have finally decided to release the amazing soundtrack to this fiction! That's right- Soundtrack! Just look in my profile for the link!

Enjoy the new chapter!

I am in the air now  
I am in your lungs  
I am written  
I am spoken by a million flaming tongues  
I'm the lens through which you see  
I'm the process  
I am the key  
I am synapses firing bullets from a gun  
I'm the world's mystique  
I am the words you speak  
I am language  
I am hidden memories that you seek  
I am the sun before you see me rise  
I burn still when you close your eyes  
I am the soul that never dies when flesh is weak  
I am inside of you in spite of you  
With strength and sacred grace  
But for all you do  
I'll carry you  
From this bitter place  
I am in your future  
I am in your past  
I'm the echo of your footsteps  
I'm your shadow cast  
I'm the heat you radiate  
I am the fury and the fate

I am each beat within your heart from first to last  
I'm your action without thought  
I am the instinct born inside you  
I'm the bones from which you drape  
I am protective skin to hide you  
I'm the pull that the earth exerts  
I am the rain that stings and the snow that blinds  
I'm the architecture of your world and mind

Tonight would be so much different from last night; Sasuke noted this as he took a deep breath, letting the cool air of approaching night fill his lungs. A strange feeling of nostalgic sadness was sweeping over him as he stared at Konoha in the distance, preparing to sleep soundly through the hours of darkness, completely unaware that a boy considered an outcast was watching, ready to infiltrate. He meant no harm in his visit, and honestly the sight of his old home was causing him more pain than he could cause trouble within. There were so many memories tied to this place; Memories of his friends, one of which was dead now because of him, and beyond that, just stupid little things that remained locked away in his mind. All the people he knew; His classmates, teachers, the lowly workers that recognized Sasuke's face, and even the more high up officials. Everybody had become like family over time, not by his choice, but because he was left with none so early, and so many people had tried to take responsibility for solitary Sasuke. He had turned his back on all those people, all the people who had looked at him after the massacre, the broken little child he was, and tried to ignore the fact that all they could see in him now was his brother. Everybody sympathized, and tried to fill the emptiness he felt within, even though they all were thinking in their minds, 'It's another Itachi... Just wait.'

He had proven them all right in that, hadn't he? He had stabbed them in the back, bitten the hand that fed him. He deserved death just as much as his brother did; And perhaps it wasn't his place to kill Itachi? The best that the two remaining Uchiha could get from one another was a well deserved death- They could kill each other, and everything would be fine.

When Sasuke was a child, and he looked at his rippled reflection he saw his brother because of the outward resemblance, but now... He saw his brother's reflection because Itachi truly lived inside of him. His brother was inside his veins, flowing through him with every beat of his heart. Itachi was inescapable now.

The wind whipped around Sasuke, causing the dark cloak he wore now to ruffle outwards, flapping and making fluttering noises as he rested with his shoulder against the rough surface of a tree. The only lights that laid ahead were shutting out one by one, and soon Konoha would be immersed in the inky blackness of hollow night, the light snuffed out like a delicate life, lingering in the balance. Everything seemed so dead, and cold, and that was exactly the conditions Sasuke needed. Cover; shadows to keep him safe as he slunk villainously to a place that was so eerie it might as well have been a graveyard. There were no stars tonight, nor the glittering, leading silver lantern held down by the lonely moon; silent, mysterious Tsukuyomi, sitting alone in the night sky, blanketed by the blackest clouds. It would be raining soon, Sasuke could feel the humidity against his face as the cool wind rippled the heavy air. Just what he needed, a less than welcoming night and weeping sky, watching the tragedy playing out in solitude; Everybody would be indoors, except for a misfit pair of brothers.

They always stayed out in the rain, giving thanks for the cold tears the sky cried for them, and only them. These two were the dramatic actors on the world's stage, acting out every tragically written line, moving a misunderstanding audience. Only the sky would cry for them, in the end.

The lonesome teen leapt from his perch as the first of the rain began to fall, and moving along the hidden paths he made his way to the gate of the city, sneaking past with expert precision, the way only a child who had grown up here and knew these walls, and the villagers within too well could. Once inside he didn't have to worry. He was cloaked, but it wasn't suspicious, because anybody walking the streets in the rain would want to be covered. He stuck to himself, and headed straight for his set destination; The old Uchiha complex. He found that place without even looking up.

Around every corner there was a ghost waiting the pop out at him, and make his heart leap into his throat, or at least he wished he could heave his hollow-feeling heart out of its resting place in his chest; Maybe then the pain would lessen? Every little window frame and doorway caused blurry memories to flicker through his mind, every home that was falling into disrepair, every torn lantern, and even a ball that sat alone in the middle of the street, the toy of a child who was undoubtably delivered death before his life had even begun. The teen sighed, his released breath getting lost in the sound of rain pattering against the deadened Earth, and he stared up at a shattered crest imprinted on a cracked wall, broken lines crawling out from a puncture hole like spiders legs. It was the sign that Itachi had given- It was his statement, and one that had went, regretfully, overlooked.

He had practically dared somebody to stop him from his plans. He asked them to step up and kill him before he could kill them, but they all just shrugged it off, and ignored the fucking warnings. Sasuke had been the only one to see the truth that day, and he said nothing of it because he loved his brother too much to get him sentenced to death. He had made his choice, everybody had, and perhaps it all was deserved in the end?

"_I'm not happy, Sasuke. Don't you understand?" That sheer honesty was as sickening to Sasuke as Itachi's lies. It was now that he was realizing that he may not have liked the truth of things very much._

_Sasuke wasn't happy either- Then again, who was happy? Sasuke had thought, at least, that he had brought his sibling some tiny speck of joy. Sasuke felt happy when he was around Itachi, and he had gotten satisfaction from that. Could Itachi not be satisfied so easily?_

"_Do you want me to suffer next to you?" It was somewhat sarcastic, and somewhat honest. Sasuke wasn't really offering to suffer for his brother, but rather he had meant that Itachi was ungrateful for what they did have, whereas Sasuke had accepted things, and asked no more than that. His brother's reply both disturbed and enraged him._

"_Would you, Otouto?"_

The teen moved forward, holding up a hesitant hand, and he allowed his fingers to trace the cracked crest, moving along those loud-speaking lines. He bit his lip, his face contorting in the type of sorrow one feels right before they break out into an unrestrained sob; He wouldn't cry, however, he couldn't allow his brother to bring him to tears again. The droplets of rain crawling down his cheeks faired well enough in place of actual tears. Sasuke relaxed, his dark eyes staring lifelessly as his hand dropped to his side. "I wasn't enough for you, Nii-san... I wasn't enough to make you happy... But how can I act surprised now? ...I wasn't enough for anybody, was I?"

Sasuke glanced off into the foggy gray-black of the abandoned streets, and for a moment they didn't feel so abandoned. He felt as if he was not alone. What ghastly apparition was lingering in these lonesome streets, watching Sasuke's suffering that had not dimmed one bit since the night the clan was laid to waste, and the one Sasuke loved most turned his back, and left Sasuke all alone in the world? Were the ghosts of his clan standing just beyond the range of his vision laughing at him? Laughing because in the end this all was the fault of selfishness? Itachi was so selfish that he ended a hundred lives for his own tainted reasons, and Sasuke had been too selfish to stop him. Itachi had shown him all the signs, he all but told him verbally his intentions, and Sasuke had seen it coming, and he remained silent as his brother killed everybody.

The young Uchiha let his fist hammer weakly against the stone of the wall, and again he let himself twist in the overwhelming emotion he was feeling. Somewhere deep inside he had chosen his brother over his clan; Some little voice deep inside was saying 'Sasuke.. They still pay the same amount of attention to you dead as they did alive... Itachi did you a favor, and he took them away so they couldn't make you suffer any longer..' And why did Sasuke not accept this as his twisted brother may have intended it; A gift. A release from everything being an Uchiha meant, a release from the suffering.

Perhaps Sasuke just liked to suffer; He liked the pain. He glared now at that ghastly wall, his eyes burning red in the darkness as he let his voice growl out in painful contempt, and yet he felt so weak, he merely leaned against it, his head pressing against the hard, cracked cement.

"You made a promise to me... I was special to you, right? ..Then why..? Why did you leave me all alone if that was true? You wanted to protect me, you wanted to preserve everything about me that you could never have... I was your light, but you left me in darkness... Why?"

A shiver ran up Sasuke's spine; He felt almost as if somebody had reached out and touched him, but when he looked up he saw nothing but shadows moving just beyond the rising fog and humidity; A trick of the eyes, and the dark, and.. Everything.

Reluctantly he entered his old home, feeling the rain seeping into his skin, and he didn't need to stay out much longer. Itachi wasn't here now to allow Sasuke to steal away his warmth; Itachi wasn't here to comfort his shivering frame; Itachi wasn't here anymore, and Sasuke would see that it stayed that way..

..As soon as all his questions were answered..

Once he was inside that room where he watched his brother spill their parents blood, he did his best to ignore the fact that the metallic scent still lingered in the air along with the musty smell of sheer unkept space; Time had taken its toll. And Sasuke also ignored the fact that the red stains that seeped into the hard wood floors had never been removed, no, they stared up at him now, grim reminders. He shrugged off his damp cloak, and left it laying in the corner, then he laid down a mat so he could attempt sleep here.

It was going to be a long night.

What goes around

Comes around

What goes up

Must come Down

Now who's crying

Desiring-

To come back to me?

_The larger form drew back a bit quicker this time, red eyes gazing down; lovingly and yet tainted by something much darker. It was a desperate war between the good older brother and that crooked splinter buried inside his brain, something he was regretfully born with but it had only grown over time due to the way he had been turned from a child to a strong piece of metal, then he was sharpened constantly until he was razor sharp. Then to secure that approaching misfortune, his bladed edges were dipped in poison, and now there was nothing to do but wait for disaster. He could not fight the darker side of himself, because all his training had made it the dominant, more powerful persona. Still, the tender one fighting for his own say forced Itachi to pull his lips away from Sasuke's before he suffocated the boy._

_The tiny, delicate child just beneath the older brother panted softly, stony eyes gazing up without question, vacantly. A rare smile graced the lips of the elder, and for just a moment he allowed his lust to pause. This was his apology for what he was about to do, and everything he ever would do. Gently his lips brushed against his brother's soft little cheek, and deadly crimson orbs shut as he lingered in that innocent, affectionate kiss for a still and silent moment; He drew back after he felt satisfied with his gesture, but only the tiniest amount, and he stayed close to Sasuke as he muttered sincere words._

"_..I'm sorry, Otouto... I lied... I can't stop myself...Forgive me."_

_Larger, but delicate-looking hands finished the business of tugging off the last of Sasuke's clothes, and the elder shuddered in apprehended pleasure. Fingers traced over the smaller boys shin, and the tiny frame shivered beneath Itachi's fingers as his ghosting touch skirted over the young boys knee just enough for a subtle sensation to pulse through him. Sasuke muttered something inaudible, but the fragmented words were lost to the elder because he was concentrating very hard on how soft Sasuke's thigh felt as he finally allowed his entire palm to caress against his younger brother's skin._

_The sound that Sasuke let out as his brother's fingers curled tightly, and possessively around his unconsciously half hard flesh was stifled, and held back to a low level, because having seen the shriek coming before it was even let out, Itachi pushed his tongue roughly into the delicate boys mouth again, clenching his free hand into the small boy's soft black locks, and tugging him up closer. Sasuke fought against this for a moment, again unsure at what was going on, and what was touching him in a private area. The elder wisely waited until his siblings noises were choked back before he broke the kiss again, and he stroked softly and slowly at the small member in his grasp, soothing his brother with pleasure that was unknown to him._

"_..shhh...Sasuke...Don't wake everybody... You wouldn't want your Nii-san to get caught doing this to you.."_

_The innocent boy squirmed, but lifted his hips against his own will, unsure, and yet his body was already begging for more of this foreign sensation. His bell-like voice came out softly, and vacant as he searched for answers from the only one present. "Mmm...N-Nii-san... I don't think... That you are supposed to touch me...unn...like this.."_

_Itachi laughed softly, malicious, and yet amused all the same. "Perhaps not... But there is no real reason not to... It feels too good to stop, am I right?" He questioned the innocent in his grasp, his lips curling even more sinisterly as he stroked his young brother with a bit less restraint. Itachi would get what he wanted out of Sasuke, and he knew exactly how he could do it without fail._

Sasuke was roused from his dream by a clap of thunder from the outside; This time, he noted, it hadn't been from the horror encasing his unconscious mind, and because of this, he was somewhat ashamed. He sat up a bit, propped up on his elbows, and he glanced around at his setting. Oh yeah- He was back home.

He plopped back to the floor with a dull thud, and he let loose a heavy sigh. He didn't know what time it was, but he didn't think he was going back to sleep now. That dream, it was the worst one yet; He had seen vividly the image of himself, stripped, just beneath his brother, being touched, felt, dirtied, and shamed, and invaded in some of the most intimate ways... He really wished he knew where these dreams were coming from. His twisted psyche was beginning to drive the rest of him insane. How long before he went crazy and brought a mass slaughter down upon unsuspecting innocents? On top of all that, he was laying in the very floor the corpses of his parents had been sprawled, cut to ribbons, and locked in the most morbid of dead-embraces; Itachi had probably arranged the bodies to his liking, playing with them as if they were human dolls.

And if all that didn't keep Sasuke awake- He reached down past the loosened tie around his waste, and his fingers met with the engorged organ hidden just beneath the fabric of his trousers. His dream had taken a strange toll on him yet again, though this time he was alone in the inky dark, and this time this wasn't so alien to him since he had just envisioned his younger self being stroked by his brother. He whined, as if begging himself to snap out of his indecisive thinking, and he tightened his fingers around the base of his needy sex. He stroked himself slowly, sighing every now and again as he relaxed then tensed again, jerking, and fighting for more friction, his hips lifting off the ground, and pressing up against his own hand, and he pumped faster up and down, long teasing strokes for one moment then without much thought he shifted to quick, short bursts. He bit his lip, holding in most of his noise, but though it felt pretty good, he didn't feel the immense nasty but delicious arousal that the dreams had brought to him. There was no way he was going to allow himself to think of THAT while he was ravishing his own insane desire.

Or he hadn't well considered it until an image popped into his mind- The image of Itachi's lithe form perched above his own, and his brother's frail, but graceful fingers wrapped around his hardened tool, pumping mercilessly, and him writhing, and grinding his hips upward needing more, just a bit more to reach his precipice. He gasped sharply at that thought, and something clicked inside, and his skin lit with tingling fire he hadn't been able to conjure without the aide of the forbidden images.

He shifted beneath his thin blanket, and continued to stroke himself, his fingers slick, and sticky with the opal fluid that had already leaked out, and coated his shaft, and dripped on his thighs. There was a musky scent coming from his skin and the mess he was making of himself, and if he wasn't mistaken, to his imaginative horror, he could almost smell the faintest trace of those little things that seemed to cling to Itachi's flesh. The clashing rain and fire, and lush clover fields, and sugary sweet dumplings, all covering up the everlasting smell of blood; Those things mixed defined Itachi's individual scent, and Sasuke breathed it in, panting harshly as he whined between each stroke of his hand, still imagining it was his brother's hand pleasuring him rather than his own. He could feel his insides curling up, winding low in his belly, and his skin was burning pleasantly, tingling, and he knew he was getting close.. He just needed a little push.. "Nnnn...I-It.." No, he wouldn't allow himself to do that, he could not! "...uh-uh-Ita..." No- He could not moan his brother's name now! He could not _get off _at the thought of his brother! "...mmm-ah!...Itach-"

"Sasuke."

Sasuke was startled half to death by the sudden sound of his name being spoken across the room, and his hands shot away from his organ, and to the floor as his body jerked up to look around the dark of the room, searching for the source of this voice, though he already knew whose voice this was, he was just desperately hoping it had been in his mind.

Lightning flashed outside of the window, illuminating the entirety of the room for just a moment, but that moment alone was all Sasuke needed to spot his brother perched in the far corner of the room. Itachi must have come in while Sasuke was asleep, and he just hadn't noticed his brother's shadowy form meshed with the dark corners of the room. Right now he truly wished he had, because a heavy feeling of dread was sneaking up into his gut, making him feel nauseous, and it threatened to cause him to wretch right here in the floor. He hunched over slightly, trying to get his eyes to focus on Itachi sitting over in the darkest area of the room. His voice came out stammering, stumbling as he spoke, fearing his brother had caught him in the dirtiest, sickest possible act. "I-Itachi... Bastard.. What business do you have sneaking into this place..?"

The younger Uchiha's eyes glinted red, bringing Itachi into better visual, and Sasuke found himself staring right back into an indifferent sharingan, and he caught the slightest movement of Itachi's shoulders, a shrug. He turned his head, speaking as if he couldn't care less, though he was hiding something, it seemed. "It isn't my fault... You should have made sure you were alone first, Sasuke... Being unobservant can be lethal as well as _embarrassing_.."

Sasuke curled tighter beneath his thin blanket, and he narrowed his eyes, offended, and glaring merciless daggers, though this look seemed to draw Itachi in closer. For whatever reason the elder stood, and slowly made his way over, crouching next to his younger sibling, and he stared down at Sasuke's curled up body with all emotion hidden beneath his impassive mask. It was a tense moment for Sasuke, and he could feel his muscles freezing, and locking up throughout his entire body; His breath even hitched in the back of his throat as he saw his brother lift his undamaged hand. That frail hand, and those graceful fingers came up to Sasuke's warm forehead, and he brushed back all the ebony strands that clung there, damp with sweat. The younger male didn't let this action halt his own reflexes for long, however, and he slapped his brothers hand away fiercely, and unforgivingly. For some reason, though, he didn't find it too pleasing, because his own fingers stung with the sharpness of the blow, coursing numbness into the pads of those fingers. The way Itachi drew back his single good hand, though; Slowly, but he pulled it to be pressed against his own chest, where he wrapped his bandaged fingers around it, as though to soothe the pain. Had Sasuke's little slap hurt him that bad physically, or was it something else? Perhaps he was just putting on a show. Whatever he was doing, Sasuke felt a twinge of guilt for the subtle attack; He had no idea why.

And then it all made sense to him; Itachi's deceit never failed to catch everybody off guard, and play everybody for fools. In a flash of movement the hand that had been cradled most delicately reached out to grasp Sasuke's blanket, and in a swift second the elder brother tugged it away, getting his own eyeful of how embarrassingly erect Sasuke was at the moment. Sasuke's voice came out panicked, but enraged all the same as he protested. "Wh-What the hell is wrong with you?"

The younger of the duo rolled onto his side, curling up to hide his shame, though Itachi had seen. This was a whole new form of torture, and right now Sasuke was utterly vulnerable. It was all too apparent how easy it would be to force him into anything right now, because his body was betraying him, especially as he shivered, and bit back that needy whine pushing forward in the back of his throat as his brother stroked a single digit over his curled up legs, and slowly across his covered thigh.

With a defeated sigh he loosened, laying flat against the ground, and he just allowed his brother to look down at him; His clothes wrapped loosely around him, disheveled from sleep and frustrated pleasure, his member was bulging, stifled, and needing release in his pants; one of his hands was still sticky with traces of precum, and his entire frame smelled strongly of singular, unfulfilled masculine sex- It was practically a beckoning call.

His brothers hand stroking up his thigh felt so heavy, and chills coursed through his flesh, burning apprehension as Itachi's digits moved constantly upward. Sasuke knew what was about to happen, or so it was just as he had imagined. His brother's hand was going to finally get to its destination, grasp Sasuke's unbearably hard sex, and the younger boy was going to blow all over at just the feel of Itachi's frail, and beautiful fingers. A shameful unrestrained explosion of lust, but how could he help it now, he needed this so badly, he was willing to lay still and take it from his own brother. He was going to allow his brother to touch his most intimate area, and he was going to coat Itachi's pale digits in ivory fluid, sticky seed that was only set free at the precipice of ecstacy, and even Sasuke had admitted in his mind that his brother could push him beyond that point.

He blamed this insanity on the lust and desire that was coursing through him, blinding him, at this very moment.

But- Most unexpectedly, Itachi's hand laid still on Sasuke's hip momentarily, then was drawn back, and the elder stood, and strode back across the room to his hidden corner where he could appear as though he were sulking over some mysterious something- Only Uchiha Itachi. Sasuke let out a sigh of what he thought was relief, because the sudden space between himself and his brother brought him back to his senses. He didn't know why he had allowed his brain to think of his own brother so perversely; Itachi was not just his brother, but his sworn enemy, the one who had laid his family to waste, and left him to suffer for years after.

Sasuke hated Itachi... Though that hate was beginning to make him feel even more hollow inside.

But the hate and shamed offense was all Sasuke allowed to show as his brother spoke softly from the corner. "I wanted to see what was causing you to lose so much sleep... You seemed to be under a great deal of stress, Otouto.." The elder laid his head back against the wall, and he let his eyes shut, as if he, himself, were exhausted just as much as his younger brother. Merely, he was looking away from his snarling sibling.

Sasuke's words were biting, and harsh as they rolled off his tongue in an almost rehearsed manner. "What did you expect, Itachi? Did you think I would ever sleep peacefully again after what you did?"

"What I did?" Itachi repeated Sasuke's words as if they had confused him, and he opened his eyes for a moment, looking as if he were thinking deeply, attempting to unravel some mystery in which the answer was eluding him. "Your...referring to the murders?"

It was as insulting as it was amusing how Itachi was playing dumb about_ that _of all things- Or Sasuke assumed it was an act. Regardless he snapped back without needing much thought on his response. "Of course!"

Red eyes snapped up to meet his, imploring, and that curious stare made Sasuke utterly sick at his stomach. The words that followed didn't ease it at all. "Somehow... I doubt that has anything to do with the state your in now, Otouto.."

The subtle flush across Sasuke's cheeks may have been from anger or embarrassment- He couldn't really decipher, but he was glad the darkness covered up the redness he could feel burning against his pale face at that comment. How could his brother be so fucking crude, and disrespectful? What next- Would he make some snide comment about Sasuke jerking off at the thought of his own mother's dead body? He wouldn't put it past Itachi. The younger was relieved that once his elders voice came out again, it sounded almost sincere, as though he was trying to be serious now. "No... There is something else on your mind.."

There was a pause, and neither of the brother's said anything further than this- Itachi was silently waiting for the reply that would not come; Sasuke was not going to tell Itachi what had been playing through his mind, even if it was more than obvious at this point. Finally, with a sigh Itachi stood, and came back over to his younger brother.

Sasuke watched, calmly this time, though his hate and distrust were pouring quite clearly from behind his eyes, coating his very existence in contempt. It was almost as if he was daring Itachi to come closer, promising a less than pleasant result if the elder complied, and took the dangerous bet. Itachi was unfazed, and he bent down onto his knees next to his younger sibling fearlessly, reaching that same delicate hand out again, just as he had done last time, though now when Sasuke moved to slap his hand away he pulled back quickly enough to dodge the attack, and in a split second he pressed forward again, slamming his hand down against the younger boys chest, and resting it there. Sasuke let out a sharp exhale at the pressure, though he made no other move to remove Itachi's touch, because aside from the fact that the elder had to get aggressive in order to get what he wanted, otherwise he was being mostly delicate. Sasuke searched Itachi's face for some meaning behind his strange behavior, but Itachi was blank as always, with the tiniest evidence behind his ruby red eyes that he was still in deep thought. A long tense moment passed, and Sasuke remained still, waiting to see what Itachi was up to, and eventually the elder Uchiha allowed his voice to be heard.

"..Your heart is racing Sasuke.." He blinked, pulling himself from his thoughts, and Sasuke watched most observantly; Those eyelashes, how very feminine they made Itachi look when he allowed them to flutter. It reminded Sasuke of Mikoto, and he truly did regret that comparison, since Itachi had caused her death. But perhaps it was the calm, caring front that Itachi was putting on, like he was trying to seem motherly; Sickening.

Sasuke didn't even flinch, though, as Itachi's hand moved down, and those spindly fingers caressed the younger boys belly lightly for a passing second. It brought Sasuke down into his horrendous nightmares, though there was no way Itachi could have known how drastically what he was doing effected Sasuke. The younger boy whispered words, pleading, though he hadn't meant to hear himself sound so disturbingly weak; Just like the little boy in his visions. "..Stop.."

It came as a surprise when Itachi pulled his hand away, only to bring back it up to push Sasuke's bangs back out of his face again, and Sasuke could have sworn that even through the darkness he noticed the slightest hint of a weasel-smile imprinted on his brother's face. "..Try to sleep, Sasuke.."

And with that Itachi backed off again, sauntering over to his carved out area in this room where Sasuke would think his presence would never be welcomed; Of course the vision of restless spirits attacking Itachi's physical, mortal form was just as horrifying to Sasuke as it would have been to Itachi. It would have horrified Itachi, right? Sasuke just shivered, and pulled his blanket up over his head.

"_Shisui was the one who showed m__e this place.. He was acting strange that day.. He was acting less like himself, and more like.. Well, me.. It was oddly disturbing... He brought me here because it was a secret place, a special place, a pretty place, I suppose.. He was very quiet, troubled, but only because I was to... I looked up at him after a long silence, and he was looking at me, his head down a bit, just barely peering at me through his bangs.. Kind of how you look at me every now and then.. I said 'what?' in the most gentle and curious tone I could muster, and then... He kissed me. There wasn't much more talk after that, and I don't think it would be wise to describe to you in detail what happened between us, but.. It was the first time it had happened to me, or rather.. The first time I allowed it to happen rather than just saying no... But it wasn't the last time it would happen between us. It was, however, the very last time Shisui would ever kiss me.. Because in this manner, he is not special to me.. And I had decided that it would be deceitful to kiss somebody who isn't special to me. In any case- What I just told you is secret, so I suggest you do just as you said you wanted to do, and you keep that tiny piece of me to yourself... Forever."_

Not like anybody was around to hear now, right? Sasuke rolled over to face his brother in the corner, and glittering red eyes focused on Itachi restlessly, obviously hiding some unasked question within. The elder noticed it so very easily; Funny how he was the one who could read Sasuke now instead of the other way around. "What is it, Sasuke?"

The younger of the two shifted a bit beneath his blanket, unsure if he really wanted to discuss this with his brother. He was silent for a moment as he summoned his courage, and his voice spilled out from behind his lips softly, as if he were uttering a secret, and really, he was, wasn't he?

"Shisui showed you the place in the forest clearing beside the river.. He was acting strange that day, less like himself and more like you, right?... And it disturbed you.. He brought you there because it was a special, pretty place... He was very quiet and troubled... But only because you were to.. And you looked up at him after a long silence, and he was looking back at you from behind his bangs, like I used to do.. And you asked 'What?' and then... He kissed you... A long time ago you told me that. You never told me what happened after he kissed you."

Sasuke's eyes stared relentlessly, and much to his surprise, Itachi was the first one to break the eye contact. The younger brother wondered how it must have felt; How did it feel for Itachi to have his first sexual encounter with his very best friend (and cousin..)that he later killed in cold blood mentioned as if it were small talk? This question was just as prevalent as the one at hand as Itachi looked off to the side, and Sasuke could see the skin between his eyebrows wrinkle; expression. He had felt _something_, and after a moment his voice rang out through the darkness, whispered, and reluctant to even answer vaguely. "I did tell you."

Sasuke shook his head softly, his bangs fluttering across his forehead in his movement. His voice was braver now, challenging, but still questioning almost politely. "You told the entire story in detail, up until _that_ point." The younger boy smirked, knowing his insistence was spoken vaguely, but the question was more than obvious. He could hear Itachi sigh again, sounding defeated, as if his very last breath had just been released from his lungs.

"My acceptance of his affection had been all he was looking for in that kiss. He had been waiting a long time for that moment, apparently, and he wanted me like nothing else right then.. His urge had evolved into something completely animalistic.. There was nothing tender about it when it happened, but... I was almost thankful for that. It would have made things awkward for me, and really... I wanted what was about to happen almost as much as he did. It was like... An escape from everything else.. Nothing existed right then except for the two of us, and our twining bodies.. It was vaguely resembling to happiness, if I'd ever felt it.. Shisui pushed me onto my back, and all but tore my clothes off... That, in itself, was probably as much a success to him as full blown sex, because... It had been a while since he had been able to pin me beneath him... I just laid there bared as he ripped off his own clothes, and tossed them to the side.. I didn't care to do much other than receive what he planned to give me.. I didn't even bother to lift my hips to him as he moved to push himself inside me. He handled it well enough, but as hurried as he was, not much could have stopped him, I suppose... Neither of us immediately lost ourselves in this sensation, however... It was painful for me at first, but pain didn't bother me. I could bear that.. But my thoughts as he moved in and out of me roughly were something akin to regret. I was being used again, something I felt, perhaps I should have been accustomed to by then. My body and mind were nothing to anybody but tools, and now I was being used by my very best friend as well. I was silent, and Shisui noticed that while he was enjoying himself, clearly, I was not.. His thrusting dulled for a moment as he spoke, comforting, trying to assure me that I could enjoy this if I wanted to.. By then my bleeding and his own fluids had made things a bit less uncomfortable, and he began to pound in hard again.. But it was so awkward for him as he tried to hold me in position, and pleasure me with his hand at the same time.. He was probably very frustrated.. But he knew if he walked away from this with me having hated it the entire time, then it would never happen again, so he persisted... It was when his ceaseless thrusting finally hit some core of pleasure inside me that he got the reaction he had been waiting for, and my hips pushed up for him almost of their own will, lifting, and needing more of whatever that feeling had been. I writhed and clutched at the mossy ground beneath me as that secret spot was struck over and over, and tingling, burning waves shot up into my back, and into the pit of my stomach. Shisui pumped me in time with his hard, irregular thrusts, and it wasn't long before I was on edge, and making it obvious with the most unrestrained vocalizations... Then I couldn't hold back from the precipice any longer, and I toppled over into the consuming spasms of orgasm, coating both of our naked abdomens in my seed. My body tensed and I moaned out uncontrollably, my hips jerking in the moment of ecstacy, and as I tightened around the hard member inside me, Shisui joined me over the edge, coating my insides in his warm fluid, and I panted, shivering beneath him from the feel of that hot liquid inside me. He pulled out, and I returned to my calm, soundless, motionless state, and we laid together like that, catching our breath and letting the aftershock of it all wash over us, the chemical clarity of the moment. Eventually I got up, dressed myself and left without another word. The next day we spoke to one another as if everything was normal, but almost every other day after that we returned to that same spot, and we repeated the action until it became something effortless and natural for us. Repetitive, but we never got bored with it. It was too good in the end to get tired of..."

The elder brother was silent for a moment, letting the weight of his words slip off of his shoulders before he looked up at his brother who was laid out in a most relaxed position, listening as if this were some innocent bedtime story. "..Was this enough to satiate your curiosity, Otouto..?"

Sasuke nodded to his brother, and Itachi nodded back, looking away again, though he could feel Sasuke's eyes linger on him. Sasuke knew Itachi had allowed himself to become burdened by the weight of the stare, but who could blame him with what he had just spoken of openly?

The younger boy thought it would be hard to imagine his brother on his back, submitting, and allowing another man to fuck him, but the picture Itachi painted was rather clear. And though Sasuke had said he had heard enough, this story only made him want to ask a hundred more questions. For whatever reason, though, he felt Itachi was going to need some time after that story, just to recharge before his calm front shattered into a million pieces. The younger sibling had no clue why he didn't wish to see his brother broken apart in that manner. Perhaps it was because the elder would cease to be useful for information if he lost his reserve? Who knew. But Itachi had allowed Sasuke to look deeper during that story, beyond just sexual preference, and experience, but into the melancholy depths he strove to keep people from seeing, lest prying fingers damage him even more on the inside.

" _I was being used again, something I felt, perhaps I should have been accustomed to by then. My body and mind were nothing to anybody but a tool, and now I was being used by my very best friend as well. "_

It was those words that lingered with Sasuke now- He had realized a long time ago, even when he was a child, that Itachi held a strong hatred inside for the clan because of how he was made into the perfect tool to be used, and admired only for his fine crafting, but Sasuke had never thought Itachi truly suffered so deeply. He had thought Itachi had gotten over this, but merely sought revenge because of that fact, but the way he made it seem, it almost appeared to be a fresh, bleeding wound, deep in his flesh puncturing vital organs.

The clan used him- They used him. He was nothing to them but a fucking shiny object, and they only loved what he stood for. He brought them all pride that they could not stop to gain with their own achievements, and in time, had the clan not been wiped from existence, Itachi would have been shrugged off, forgotten, and all the things he did in his time would have meant absolutely nothing. Everything he gave up his humanity, and sanity, and even his very _soul_ for would have been for nothing. And for a slight moment, Sasuke understood Itachi's pain. He understood his suffering. He understood it all.

He had fallen asleep by now though, and he probably wouldn't remember this realization by the time he woke.

Hold it together, birds of a feather,  
Nothing but lies and crooked wings.  
I have the answer, spreading the cancer,  
You are the faith inside me.

No, don't  
Leave me to die here,  
Help me survive here.  
Alone, don't remember, remember.

Put me to sleep evil angel.  
Open your wings evil angel.

Sasuke's eyes fluttered open, quite peacefully rousing. The last few hours of sleep probably were the best he had gotten in a very long time, even as he had known when he drifted off that his brother's eyes would be watching him all through the night. Perhaps having Itachi watch over him while he slumbered was still comforting to that little boy living just beneath his skin, wanting the feel of his Nii-san close to him. It was terribly bizarre.

He sat up, and glanced around the gray-cast room with coal black eyes- Itachi was already gone, it seemed. Sasuke clambered this feet, and adjusted his clothes; Tightening his sash, and straightening his white haori out. He really had made a mess of himself as he slept. Yawning he absently combed his fingers through his messy raven spikes, pulling out a few tiny tangles as he did so. Itachi wasn't gone yet- Sasuke could still feel his presence now, though he was apparently incapable any other time. He suspected now that Itachi wanted to have himself noticed by his little brother.

The teen placed his sword in its position, snugly tied under his sash, and he wrapped his rain cloak around his shoulders as he sauntered out of the room, and down the hallway toward the sunroom that faced the garden. Passing by the garden, it was a sad sight; Everything was black, and withered and dead and the tiny ponds contained murky water. This was the garden that belonged in an eerie graveyard, and that was exactly what this place was now. If that wasn't enough, the clouds hadn't cleared, and the sky was still depressingly blanketed with the gray overcast.

The only thing amusing about the depressing weather was the look on Itachi's face when Sasuke found him sitting in that same position he always had every morning when he lived here; Facing the East, waiting to watch Amaterasu rise into the sky, and begin her daily journey. Today he would never see her golden face, because she was covered by the greedy clouds, and they were keeping her all to themselves. Itachi was practically _pouting_ at this, and Sasuke couldn't help but smirk in subtle amusement. Itachi was glaring up at those clouds as if his sharingan could threaten them to the point that they would move aside. His voice was just as strained as he spoke up. "Good morning, Otouto.."

For whatever reason, Sasuke stared back into Itachi's ruby eyes with a smile plastered across his lips. This- The way they were here together- It was so strange, and yet it was somehow pleasant. Perhaps that much was obvious in the way Sasuke spoke up in a serene sort of tone. "..Itachi..?"

Those red eyes flickered away from him, and back toward the sky, though the elder brother's face returned to its usual neutral state. He only thought he looked unreadable, but Sasuke was thinking he was hiding something. There was something about him that was more mysterious than usual. "...hm?" His response was vague. He must have known something that Sasuke obviously did not.

"My question." Sasuke told Itachi what he was searching for matter-of-factly in order to save precious seconds before the village got too lively to make a good, sneaky exit. The elder didn't seem to want to cooperate, however, because he took his sweet contemplation time before answering in what should have been a simple manner. "Your eyes Sasuke... I have no desire to take them from you..."

"..However... There may be something... I..."

"...Never mind."

Sasuke looked at his brother most curiously as the elder stammered out some senseless string of verbiage. He quirked a delicate brow, questioning what Itachi meant, or what he had been about to say, but Itachi wasn't even looking at him; He had no intention of allowing Sasuke to hear what had just been about to erupt from the secret hallows of his mind. The teen turned, intending to leave.

"..Sasuke.."

The boy turned to catch sight of his brother's eyes flickering up to meet his, and Itachi raised his delicate hand, and he gestured for Sasuke to come there, pawing at the air as a cat would. It gave Sasuke the weirdest feeling- He almost expected to be poked in the forehead once he made it over to his brother. However, Itachi merely handed him a slip of paper in which Sasuke knew would have printed their next place to meet.

"...Sasuke."

Sasuke looked down at his brother with frustration on his face. Itachi truly was behaving strangely, and he kept calling Sasuke back and not allowing him to leave. His voice was tense, and rough, but not yet to the point of anger, merely aggravation pressed itself forward most obviously. "What is it?"

"...Will you still go through with it... Your plan... To kill me... You will, won't you?"

And Itachi's sentences came out yet again in a tattered form- Sasuke almost wanted to worry what the purpose behind it was. He paused, staring down at his brother, searching and imploring with soft black pools. Itachi refused to look back up at him, so Sasuke decided to set his challenge quickly.

"Leave the Akatsuki."

The younger boy noticed the elder twitch a single eyebrow before he was able to restrain the subtle reaction. It was reaction enough for Sasuke know he had just hit Itachi with a difficult challenge, and he smirked proudly, glancing down for a moment at the paper in his hand before he stashed the thing inside his sleeve pockets. He questioned calmly, his voice sounding disinterested, and so very far above Itachi. Still, Sasuke didn't manage to force Itachi's ruby orbs to look back up at him; No, he just continued to stare straight ahead in some sort of daze. "When do we meet..?"

"..I'll need... a few days... If I'm not there..."

"...I'll be there..."

Sasuke said nothing more. He turned his back, and walked briskly away, not wanting to hurry, despite the fact that he couldn't escape this place quickly enough. He knew he really -should- be rushing more than anything; The faster he left Konoha, the better, and the better chance he had of getting away without causing suspicion. Once he was out of Itachi's sight, he bolted. He was in such a rush that he just forgot about his plan to check his old room for that clover. He didn't need luck gifted by his brother anyway, so he shrugged it off.

Though he would have loved to crumple the thing to dust right in front of Itachi's face.

He wondered if such a simple action could truly hurt as much as he imagined. His brother may have said a long time ago the thing wasn't a gift..

..But it had been.. From the depths of Itachi's heart, it was his gift to his Otouto..

...Good luck...

I think I'm drowning  
asphyxiated  
I wanna break this spell  
that you've created

you're something beautiful  
a contradiction  
I wanna play the game  
I want the friction

you

will be

the death

of me

TO BE CONTINUED


	5. Chapter 5

It's in your eyes, what's on your mind.  
I fear your smile and the promise inside.  
It's in your eyes, what's on your mind.  
I fear your presence, I'm frozen inside.

I'm searching for answers  
Not questioned before.  
The curse of awareness,  
There's no peace of mind.  
As your true colors show  
A dangerous sign

* * *

Those days away; The days Sasuke had thought he was gifted at first, they were his break from everything that had been going on lately. These were days he had to himself and that he didn't have to deal with his vile excuse for a sibling. But despite this, Itachi was all Sasuke could think of- Itachi was on the boys mind more frequently than he had been all of Sasuke's life, and those nights in which Sasuke woke from his nightmares with continuous regrets pushing free from within and causing the space inside his trousers to tighten uncomfortably, he had to question himself. Why was this happening to him? Why had his obsession with his elder turned into something of a sadistic fetish? What was it about being around Itachi again that made Sasuke feel like this? Had Itachi done something to pollute Sasuke's mind? Had he done something to ensnare Sasuke's body?

No matter how Sasuke tried to rationalize, though, he always woke, and found his body in desperate need of attention, and after he glanced around to make sure the prying eyes of his ghostly brother were in no place in which he could view, Sasuke was finally allowed his first few sessions of relief from the tension.

The raw sound of skin stroking skin, his body sleek, and peeling out of his clothes, freeing his flesh and exposing it to the cool night air, and with the aide of ever twisting, and detailing imagery, the thoughts of Itachi, still impassive as he fucked his little brother senseless, never wrinkling the mask of his face, even as he came all over the younger boy, coating porcelain skin in ivory seed, shimmering slick in the moonlight pouring from the windows. Brother on brother, blood to blood, mixing the very essence of life, carrying genetic material that was oh-so-very similar to one another, in only their own company they committed to most forbidden acts- Or so Sasuke imagined; And with the imagination he regretted and felt too much guilt for moments after his orgasm washed over him, he found the peak of his pleasure quickly and easily, night after night after night.

Those thoughts made him almost nervous about facing his brother again. If Itachi didn't know the kinds of things on Sasuke's mind, just from the glimpse he caught without entirely meaning to, the teen felt Itachi could probably look right into him, and read those thoughts as if they were words written in dark ink on Sasuke's pale skin.

Sasuke was still sleep-deprived. He had even began to develop dark rings just around the bottom rims of his eyes. Luckily enough he had discovered his facial structure wasn't quite right for the development of those same lines Itachi had, and the boy was entirely glad of this.

The boy didn't think much of his days off from the game; He cleared his mind of the thoughts cluttering it, and he did well keeping his goals in mind. He would turn himself into the Sasuke he was before his first run-in with Itachi, because the time to face him again had come, and now he wandered down yet another random villages streets, following his brothers word and direction like a lost puppy looking for his master, like that little seven year old Sasuke had once been, following after his beloved Nii-san. Perhaps he was confused, and if this game didn't end soon he knew he would be taken advantage of while he lingered in his confusion.

With an irritated sigh Sasuke at last came face-to-face with the hotel is brother had selected. Typical- It was another high budget residence, and Sasuke didn't know why he expected any less. Itachi had apparently become very picky over the years. The teen stepped inside the doors, shaking his head noting, if anything, this place was bigger and more decked out than the last place had been. It was a tad bit more professional, however, and the staff Sasuke was greeted by appealed in a far less _slutty_ nature.

The young Uchiha came to the desk, asking first for Uchiha Itachi's room number, and to his surprise he was denied- Apparently nobody by that name was staying here. The teen raised an eyebrow at this, though he smirked inwardly. He knew Itachi was here, but the elder was being much more cautious this time. He must not have felt so powerful with the rest of the Akatsuki backing him up. Sasuke next asked if there was a man who resembled him staying here, a man who dressed darkly, and always had a stoic appearance. To that he was asked for his name, which Sasuke gave to the woman at the desk, then he waited as she looked through some paperwork, and momentarily he was given a key which had a room number-tag attached. He nodded politely to the woman and headed off toward Itachi's dwelling.

Once Sasuke found the room he glanced around, making sure he was alone in the open hallway, then he swiftly unlocked the door, and went inside, locking the door back securely behind him.

The place was another one of those heavily decorated, extra comfortable sorts, and though it had a deck similar to the last place, Sasuke didn't find his brother there; Actually the residence was very quiet, and seemed almost vacant. The lights were dimmed throughout the entire dwelling, and after searching through the lowly illuminated rooms, Sasuke turned to the one room shrouded in the dark. "..Itachi?" His voice called out, firm but still questioning; obviously he was searching. He didn't turn on the light, but rather he stood in the doorway allowing his eyes to adjust to the darkness, barely broken up by the dim moonlight pouring into the single window. "..Itachi."

Sasuke called out again, his voice more firm and frustrated than before, and after a seconds passed he was gifted a response. "..I'm here, Sasuke.."

With a swift, slashing noise, and the sound of a flame flickering to life, Sasuke was allowed to catch sight of his brother. Itachi was striking a match, and using the small tool in order to light a glass lamp that sat on a stand next to the bed he was perched on top of. The teen smirked vaguely as he took a few slow steps toward his brother. "Were you sleeping?"

Sasuke's tone had been playful but still very spiteful, and for that reason Itachi tucked away the box of matches in a drawer with his tightly bandaged hand, and he didn't spare a glance up as he did so. Merely, he responded in a blank voice. "No. Just resting."

The younger Uchiha snickered as he sat at the edge of his brother's resting area, replying with quick, snide words. "You look as if you could use the rest... Your falling apart Itachi."

"As are you, Otouto."

Sasuke glanced up at his brother's words, glaring as he was dealt a blow. But he didn't allow the insult to linger, because Itachi fed off of those little reactions; That was why he played these little word games. Sasuke just stared, sharingan to tired sharingan with his elder sibling; It didn't take long for a smile to curl upon Sasuke's countenance, and that evolved into a soft bout of dark laughter. Itachi was tilting his head at his brother then, his eyes slightly narrowed in curiosity, and Sasuke was kind enough to oblige Itachi with an explanation for the sudden amusement. "We are killing one another... Slowly but surely."

Itachi's eyes lidded themselves, and he lowered his face slightly as he spoke simply. His response was the most obvious. "This was your intention, was it not, Sasuke..?"

It was that same question again, the very question that gave the brothers reason to be here together. Did Sasuke still plan on seeing his brother to the grave? First, and foremost, Sasuke wanted to know if his requirements for that information had been met. "Your asking me that question... Does that mean I should assume the deed I asked of you has been done?" The younger boy smirked, rubbing this in his brother's face, or he at least tried, not that Itachi was watching his brother's vile amusement.

Itachi nodded softly, his voice equally soft, and his disappointment, to Sasuke's pure joy, was utterly obvious. "Regretfully, yes."

The answer drew another snicker from the younger brother; And how he was relishing his brother's momentary defeat. "Regretfully? ...Had that organization really meant so much to you, Itachi?"

Glittering eyes, faded black with the ease of the moment, watched as Itachi shrugged slightly. He refused to let Sasuke enjoy this any more than he already was, and he made this obvious in the way he remained outwardly impassive. "...It had meant... something. I wouldn't have given up my service so willing if it hadn't." Most of the sarcasm died from Sasuke's appearance, and attitude as he took this in. He still smiled, however as he spoke up. "And all this time I had assumed it had just been something for you to pass the days until I found you." Oddly enough, Sasuke sounded as if he meant exactly what he had said.

"No. There was purpose in me joining that group." Itachi paused, his eyes flickering open slowly. "..But I always knew I would have to quit one day... They required something of me... That I could never do."

_Not very long after his arrival he saw one of the hooded figures bow low to the other three, and much to his surprise and horror as they all stood, each of them faced his direction. Did they know he was here, or was this coincidental? They were all still chattering calmly amongst themselves, but their words were impossible to make out. Then, in a flash each of them bolted off into the trees, scattering in every direction. The young boy looked up and around nervously, not knowing what was going on. And then the lantern flickered out, leaving Sasuke in complete darkness with nothing to do but panic, alone in the twisted forest with nobody to keep him company but the frigid cold of the wind and the rain._

_His fear was mounting now, for the obvious reasons, but just when he thought it couldn't get any worse he was grabbed up from behind by a pair of strong arms, and he didn't even get the chance to scream out because a hand was clapped tightly over his mouth. He kicked his legs, struggling to free himself, fighting in complete and total shock, though the more he tried to escape the tighter the arm wrapped around him squeezed. Eventually he stopped struggling, but his tiny cries of pain and fear still vibrated against the hand over his mouth, and the wetness coating his cold cheeks was caressed by new droplets, warm ones that streamed down from the young boys eyes. He was so afraid, and he made one last little attempt at a struggle as the figure in the dark bent closer, the wood of his mask pressing against the tiny boy's ear._

"_..shhh.."_

_That was all Sasuke heard, but he obeyed, shaking in alarm and from the cold that clung to his skin, sinking in deeper with every passing moment. He fell still, and stopped his attempts at calling out momentarily; Because of this the grip that held him was loosened slightly, and the hand over his mouth was pulled back, though it was retracted merely for the one it belonged to press a finger against his mask where his lips would be just beneath, in a motion that meant 'Keep quiet'. Following that tiny gesture the masked figure pulled away the mask, though it was hard to see who it was hidden still by the rainy darkness. However, his eyes flashed a slightly luminous red, clearing bearing the sharingan._

"_Nii-S-" Sasuke had whispered, unsure, hoping that this red-eyed man was his brother, and he wished to question, wanting assurance, but he wasn't allowed to do so as the man's hand quickly was placed back over his mouth, and he was given that same 'Keep quiet' gesture for the second time. Knowingly, and obligingly, however, the figure nodded to the younger boy. This calmed Sasuke greatly; It was Itachi he was with now at least. Still, the boy was slightly afraid, because Itachi himself was being very insistent on his silence. It almost made him seem as if he were nervous about something._

_The form of that nervousness materialized, however, when the two brothers were joined suddenly by another figure. Sasuke couldn't help but know something was wrong now from the way his brother stood quickly, facing the one who had landed just behind them, and Itachi tugged Sasuke swiftly by the arm so that he was huddled close, and hidden just behind his brother's larger form._

_There was a tense, still, silent moment, and then a malicious sounding voice spoke up. ".. His memory should be erased.." Sasuke just knew he was being referred to, and he clung to his brother, fearfully._

_Then Itachi's voice spoke up, calm and sounding so utterly sure of himself; There was no doubt anymore that it was indeed Itachi that Sasuke was hiding behind. "..He heard nothing.."_

_The other man's voice was a growl, challenging, but so arrogant, as if to say 'You know I'm right. I'm always right.' "You'll be risking everything, all for wretched sentimentality... You lied when you claimed to lack attachment, that much is becoming clear..." _

Sasuke had let his brother's words sit with him for a moment, and he was reminded of that day he chased Itachi out into the woods; What he had witnessed that day was no ANBU meeting, but rather it was a meeting between Akatsuki members, And Itachi was joining their ranks. But the elder had tried so hard to keep anybody from knowing of Sasuke's presence, and even after he was caught in that act he refused to let his new superiors lay a finger on the young boy he had hidden behind him. He had made it a known fact that very day that he still held some shred of emotion; some shred of attachment, and it was all in the form of a tiny bundle of flesh that was Itachi's younger brother, Sasuke.

"They required something of you that you couldn't do..?" Sasuke began, his words very calm. "What..? Pry my eyes from their sockets..? Is that what you couldn't do?"

Sasuke turned his head slightly, just enough so that he could look up from beneath the inky strands of hair falling in his face, just enough so that he caught sight of his brother's ruby red eyes, and a slight nod from the elder. Sasuke just scoffed, wanting to deny the utter sentimentality behind this realization. Here was Itachi protecting a creature who wanted to kill him more than anything else. And after all that speaking he had done of his power, and whatnot, all nonsense. He was so fake, and Sasuke wished he could pry away the pretty flesh that covered up Itachi's secretive inner workings, and exploit them.

"Still..." Sasuke's voice was cold as ice, though he glanced down, letting his hair cover his face; He needed some sort of shield from Itachi's weakened red eyes. He couldn't bear that prying stare. "Just because you've confided in me with your weak sentimentality, and your trying to give the appearance of being the good brother you never were... Don't expect that to change my mind.. I still plan on causing your death... All this childish reminiscing will end eventually... And then... You will die."

Itachi was utterly unaffected- He probably expected this answer. He expected the inevitable punishment for his sins. He expected to die. He might have even _longed_ for death. These games were merely the prolonging of the process of decay- His death row; The slow starvation of his body until it collapsed; A long lasting loss of blood leaving the human form powerless, something comparable to all that. Itachi was bait for the reaper now. In a way he had already died, and this was just his ghost, haunting young Sasuke, refusing to pass on. His voice even sounded lifeless, though for whatever reason he smiled. The image of it was disturbing. "I made no assumptions. I was...merely curious. I wanted to know what you were feeling, Sasuke.."

The boy's normal response to Itachi's words would have been 'as if you care' or something similar to that, but he didn't want to even think of what Itachi might say back to that, not right now anyway, and so, he remained silent for a rather extended moment. But- Because of Sasuke's silence, Itachi stole the opportunity to continue his own words, when really Sasuke wished for him to say no more. His voice poured out anyway, calm but somehow insistent, in a way. "...What I don't understand... If your so eager to kill me, then why not just do it? Why wait? Why continue to make it seem as if... You've changed your mind."

"I haven't changed my mind!" Sasuke snapped for a moment, glaring up at his brother, though it was because of the way he was filtering Itachi's words out somewhat that caused the abrupt outburst. He hadn't really been listening that well, and he tuned in just long enough to note the pause before Itachi's final words. No matter what he had been trying to say, however, Sasuke still assumed Itachi was insisting on other things. "I have questions... They need to be answered... And I'm only allowing you to live until I have squeezed every last bit of useful information out of you, and then I will cut you down, and do not doubt- That is a promise."

Sasuke shivered again- Because Itachi was smiling again. He seemed delusional, it was frightening, in a way, disturbing to see a smirk pressed heavily against Itachi's lips. "It would be a pity, though... If you waited too long... And you lost your chance.."

Wary or not, Sasuke glared, not quite sure what his brother was trying to say, but he didn't like the way he said it, and because of it he shifted, moving in a flash so that he had grabbed Itachi up by the collar, not even taking the time to notice his brother's bitten-back wince as his body was jarred. "What do you mean? What do you-"

It was mid-sentence that the most subtle narrowing of Itachi's eyes caught Sasuke's attention. But those red orbs weren't narrowed in anger or spite, but rather it was the remnants of what normally would wrinkle anybody else's face up- Sheer pain. The teen went blank as he noticed this, and he sought quickly to know what had happened- What was wrong with his brother? Sasuke lessened his grip, but brought his other hand up to unsnap the cloak wrapped around Itachi's form. The elder did nothing to stop Sasuke as slowly his covering was removed, and the flesh just beneath was revealed.

And Sasuke's eyes were wide once he saw what he had only just figured out- Itachi was wounded. Bad. The younger male couldn't tell what the full extent of the damage was because Itachi was already bandaged but from the lines of red seeping through the pristine white wrapping, Sasuke could guess that there was a very large gash trailing up his brother's abdomen.

"...What the hell happened to you?" Sasuke tried not to linger with the thought, but his voice almost sounded _worried_. Itachi was still unconcerned.

"...That much should be obvious... My resignation from the Akatsuki wasn't received very openly... I got away fairly easy this time, but... I don't wish to run forever. That is why time may be running short.."

"Don't say that!" Sasuke piped up quickly, cutting his brother off. What was wrong with Itachi? The Itachi Sasuke knew could have laid every member of that organization to waste, so why was he taking this lying down? Why was he steadily promising that soon enough his life would be ended if Sasuke did not hurry his vengeance along? Why did Sasuke feel so troubled by this? Why, for just a moment, did he feel that the thought of Itachi _dead_ was too much to handle when he himself intended to kill his brother?

It must have been his inner child wishing to cling to his older brother; The one he loved so dearly, and would do anything to be with forever and ever. If that child ever saw Itachi like this, that child would feel so much pain, worse than the pain he had been faced with the day his brother laid the family to waste.

"What is your next question, Otouto..?"

Sasuke dropped his hands away from Itachi, lowering his eyes for a moment. He felt something building up inside him, something he wished he could restrain but it was taking over. He had to take a deep breath to keep himself from being sick, but his voice was very weak. "...Why..."

"...why..."

"...Why...Why did you do this, Itachi? Why did you let everything end up like this? Why did you have to join that fucking Akatsuki, why did you have to kill our clan, why did you leave me, why did you get us into this. Why was I not enough for you? Why was I never enough for anybody? Why did you turn your back on me, Itachi? ...Why does the thought of your death feel so much like the thought of my own?"

Angry, frustrated, and confused, the young male reached up, balling his fists in his long, raven bangs, and he tugged without mercy, wanting to feel something, anything, wanting so much to tear his way out of this world, and into another one where everything hadn't gone completely wrong. He flinched, startled, as he felt his brother's cold, and delicate fingers cup his chin and lift it upward so that he faced Itachi, looking up at him from his knees; Sasuke felt so much like a child again, and his older wiser one was comforting him with his gentle touches and that infinite wisdom, his glittering perfection.

"...Why the tears, Sasuke..?" The elder's thumb traced upward, brushing softly over the younger males cheek, and smearing a warm trail of tears flowing down the porcelain surface. Those words, so simple, but so perfect, almost as if Itachi had thought out this moment all of his life, they wiped all thought from Sasuke's mind, and he let his body fall forward, and he wrapped his arms around his brother's waist, forgetting regretfully about Itachi's injury.

It only took Sasuke a moment before he realized his clinging was probably hurting his older sibling, and he gasped, backing up a bit until Itachi grabbed him by the arm, refusing to let him back away. Curious coal black eyes looked up to meet strangely peaceful glimmering red eyes, and an impassive face. "...Don't let go, Sasuke.. Not yet." Itachi's voice was still pure, and emotionless, but Sasuke felt something from his words. There was a hidden longing, something simple, and innocent, but something Itachi would never let anybody know of. Sasuke merely obeyed, and he remained with his arms wrapped a bit delicately around his brother, and he found he was content enough to fall asleep right there as Itachi's fingers stroked most affectionately through his obsidian spikes.

Eventually, however, the moment ended, and Sasuke withdrew that frightened child that hid inside him, returning to normal. He stared down at Itachi, who he now noticed was paler than usual, and Itachi spoke in that ever calm, and emotionless voice.

"I'll answer your questions... But I can't stay here any longer... Get away from this place, and meet me in the next town..."

Itachi reached out for the drawer next to his bed, and he pulled out a small black book with silvery pages. He ripped away one of those delicate pages from the back, and he wrote down an address, which he handed to his brother.

"Go now... And try to calm yourself, Sasuke."

Sasuke nodded, and left without another word. But how was he supposed to be calm now? His brother might not have even made it to the next town; If this was some plan to break Sasuke down, regretfully, it was beginning to work..

* * *

Goodbye to you  
Goodbye to everything I thought I knew  
You were the one I loved  
The one thing that I tried to hold on to  
The one thing that I tried to hold on to

TO BE CONTINUED


	6. Chapter 6

Reviews are greatly appreciated.

* * *

My love will grow black if your heart gets stolen  
Just promise to keep your heart…  
One day I'll come back if the door's still open  
Just promise to keep your heart broken

* * *

The town was bustling with nightlife, everything was alight, and seemed so utterly, and sickeningly joyful. Men howled from the bars in great groups of five or six, slurring catcalls at any woman that passed by, from the common whores to the high class ladies. Some turned their noses up at the partying crowd, but enjoyed the finer dining; And for fantastic food and top notch entertainment, there was a wide selection in the city, anything anybody might have a faint craving for. There were stores and shops that sold everything imaginable; exotic animals for companions, and contraptions from across the globe; rare collectors items and even rarer pieces of art produced by long dead artists. This city was a paradise of sorts, and the people who lived here all seemed... So very happy. Did this nightly socialization, and endless array of material and consumable goods truly give the townspeople an everlasting sensation of ecstacy? Maybe it was the colorful lights that illuminated the streets, and the various scents that wafted out into the calm breeze blowing the masses through the walkways? Or perhaps it was the clips of audible music being played live in every other tavern that brought such life and harmony to the bustle just outside?

Whatever it was, Sasuke wished desperately that he could be affected by it. He wished he could obtain the thing all these other men and women around him had; They all went about their business without a single care, and with smiles on each of their faces. Was this some sort of vaporized drug that they snorted up from the very air they breathed? What was it, and why was it not taking a toll on the teen as he wandered into the open doorway of a busy teahouse? The smell of dango and tropical fruits and tea was so powerful, and sweetly burned into his memory, it made him almost nauseous- It reminded him of Itachi. It reminded him of all those times they had together, and it even made Sasuke think he might have missed the feuding once his brother's ticking timer ran out.

But he had to avoid thinking of all that; Reminiscing, nostalgic nonsense. Sasuke didn't even have time to sort his mixed priorities. He didn't have a second to spare to decide if he would regret killing his brother if he went through with it. Now all he had time for was to let his ruby eyes flicker around, keenly watching for any black cloaks or blood red clouds that weren't being carried on the body of Uchiha Itachi. Nervous; It was the best word to describe this boy, and Itachi had known this all too well, but how could the young shinobi help it? His brother was being hunted by those who used to be allies, and Sasuke could only assume he was just as vulnerable if he ran headlong into a pair of Akatsuki members.

Why not? He was the reason Itachi had left, and they knew it. Itachi had abandoned them because of his only attachment, and they would probably be happy to attempt killing Sasuke off just to spite the elder brother. Or they may have decided to use the younger as bait to draw out the elder, and once they both were caught in the snare, then this could end the chances of restoration for the Uchiha, forever.

Yes, Sasuke had good reason to be shaken up right now. And what made things worse was the fact that he hadn't thought of this before he insisted on his brother quitting the organization; He felt so fucking stupid.

And then his eyes caught on the very robes he had been dreading the sight of; Ironically enough, however, it was his brother, making a pit-stop before his journey to the next town over. It wasn't very far, so that must have been the explanation for Itachi's unhurried outlook on things. Then again, his injuries may have been what was slowing him down just as well. But how very strange an occurrence- Itachi had stopped at the very same place Sasuke had chosen to sit out for a while. The brothers must have had extraordinarily similar tastes- That was enough to make Sasuke smile just a tad. Red eyes gazed, watching the graceful Itachi as he walked up to the counter, and spoke with the balding man just behind it, ordering something Sasuke couldn't quite make out. Most likely some expensive indulgence. The most curious thing- Itachi still carried himself as if everything under those robes was in perfect working order. If Sasuke didn't know better he would think his brother was just fine, and that no injury was present. Itachi walked, sat, stood, reached out, looked around, breathed, spoke, ran his fingers through his long bangs, and everything else without giving a single person the impression that something may have been wrong with him.

Sasuke smiled- He wondered if this was all because of his brother's training, or if Itachi really was stubborn enough to deal with immense pain just because he was too proud to let anyone see him down.

The elder was finally brought his order; Two bottles of some unknown substance, wrapped up for his carry-out purposes. He paid, and stashed his items it a small carrying bag, and momentarily his flaring red eyes flickered over in Sasuke's direction; He had known his younger brother was here, and he was politely acknowledging Sasuke's presence before he disappeared into the crowd, and out the door before the teen caught sight of him again.

"_Unlike you-to-me, Sasuke... I will always know where you are, and how to find you.. So don't look so surprised."_

He must not have lied. He truly did have a natural instinct when it came to his Otouto; He knew where Sasuke was at all times, and he felt everything Sasuke felt; He knew when Sasuke was in trouble, or angry, or sad; He knew because he was Itachi, and because Sasuke was his little brother.

"_Look into the daybreak, and we will always be connected, together, staring out at the same golden sun, wherever we happen to be.."_

Yes- Perhaps they always would be together; Sasuke and Itachi, no matter what.

* * *

And you can't fight the tears that ain't coming  
Or the moment of truth in your lies  
When everything seems like the movies  
Yeah you bleed just to know your alive

* * *

By the time young Sasuke found his way to the address printed on the small, and dainty-looking sheet of paper, he was much more calm, and glad of it. His trip through the woods had been dark and spooky, but quiet nonetheless, and he had no suspicions that anybody had followed him. But maybe the Akatsuki felt it was better to be more to-the-point about things, and go directly for Itachi?

Sasuke felt so childish worrying about his brother, when in reality he knew Itachi wouldn't go down without one hell of a fight. He was just like his old self, waiting up late at night and into early morning for his brother to arrive home from missions, crying as the hours ticked by, and every time he felt so sure his brother had suffered some horrible fate, when truly it was always the opposite. Itachi was always fine, he hardly ever even had a single scratch on him, and he had laid a handful more lives to waste.

Luckily enough- This town was much more quiet. The people here were the least rowdy of sorts; All painters and inventors and bookworms, absorbed in their own work and studies, living strictly scheduled lives. Most were in bed at this hour, but the ones that weren't burnt their midnight oil all alone locked inside their homes. They were all just as happy as the people in the town over, but they found joy in much different ways; It was pleasant in an abnormal way- The entire city was made up of the loner-outcasts. It must have been an amicable existence.

The inn, this time around, was much more small, but Sasuke found, in it's old-style charm, it was more artistic and flowed better than those more modern places. The building itself was like a few stories of ancient art; The teen stepped through the sliding doors into the dark wooden shelter, feeling the most immensely ominous beauty from the area. The skeletal framing of the building was entirely made of very dark wood, stained until it was practically black, but the white of the walls accented the dark nicely so it wasn't too hard on the eyes. The light poured down the hallways from red paper lanterns painted with intricate gold designs, shimmering just faintly in the pinkish glow. Those red-pink beams brought the murals on the otherwise translucent white walls to life; ponds, lilies, and water snakes, all twining together in a massive work of vines and squirming greenish-gold bodies in the soft rippling blue.

The place smelled of lavender and plums, and a haze of sorts swirled near the ceiling; the smoky remains of many burned incense sticks. Sasuke breathed in the sweet scent as he walked further into the coils of the open area; he looked so wary, but only because this place both intoxicated him and made him nervous; beautiful but creepy, this was a good description.

And then he heard a long noise from around the corner, and he picked up his pace, facing the one who made the noise. There, standing propped against a wall that opened to a dark stairway was a very peculiar woman; she reminded Sasuke very much of Orochimaru. The way she eyed Sasuke with glittering, and vibrant green orbs, a smirk printed across pale, white lips, it was so reminiscent to how the snake would look at the teen, it was ghastly. The shiver that passed through Sasuke was likely very visible, because the woman's snickering was incredibly audible. She pushed back a few stray locks of raven hair with a spindly finger before she spoke, shrugging at the dark purple kimono the hung just off of her pallid shoulders.

"You must be... Itachi's little brother... I was expecting you."

Sasuke raised a single eyebrow curiously. This wasn't all that surprising; Of course Itachi knew of places where he could be more secure about things, right? There was no possible way the elder Uchiha hadn't made allies somewhere, and it was just typical that one was now presented to Sasuke and she was the most malicious looking woman he had ever laid eyes on. The teen tried not to stare so obviously as the woman turned her head slightly, allowing the light to shine down on the other side of her face. Her skin looked pulled tightly to the point that in wrinkled upward, and twisted her expression; One side of her mouth was stuck in a permanent grin and one of her eyes was more slanted than the other.

"..Yeah.. I'm Uchiha Sasuke. Could you point me in Itachi's direction?" It was stated politely enough, but in the typical cold tone. The boy noticed that the woman reacted to this in her subtle but mysterious fashion. Her lips twisted farther upwards; The Uchiha mentality must have been most refreshing to her.

"Really now..?" Her voice was a low hiss as she reached out, and grabbed Sasuke by the hem of his haori, tugging it open a bit as she yanked him forward. The boy was thinking two things: He didn't want to start a fight in the place that was supposed to be his brother's selected cover, and this woman probably was some sort of shinobi, because who would honestly treat Sasuke with such disrespect without at least being confident that they could defend themselves in the case that Sasuke attacked? He chose to remain calm as she eyed him with a venomous glimmer in her eyes.

"You do resemble Itachi... But if your really an Uchiha... Then you can prove it, right?"

Now- That was an easy task; Sasuke knew exactly what was being asked of him. His dark eyes flashed red and he was instantly released. Itachi must have set it up this way. The woman smiled as she gestured toward the open stairway, and instructed Sasuke to go into the sixth door on the left.

It was just like crawling up into some high, secret attic; The stairs were practically limitless, and the light got even more scarce as Sasuke continued up the dark path, one hand braced against a wall as he climbed, just in case he lost his footing. Falling down the stairs would be terribly embarrassing, wouldn't it?

He was relieved to have the golden flicker of a single candle meet his vision as he made it to the top of the stairs. Anybody in worse than shinobi-shape would have had a heart attack before they successfully made it up that mountain, and Sasuke could attest to that, because even he needed to take a deep breath as he padded over, counting the doors in his head as he passed them by. He was just grateful the light had been provided because blindly dragging his hand along the wall trying to find the right door would have been rather annoying.

Once Sasuke was at the right door, he walked through it with very little hesitation, and he was instantly greeted by a rush of that very powerful lavender-plum scent; He would be drunk off the hazy mixture of scents by the end of the night. It lured him down a dark entrance hallway, along with further flickering of dim golden light, tiny fires, lanterns, Itachi's presence in the mystifying silence. The teen walked warily out into the open space; A one room sort of thing for the first time, but it was still appealing in such a way, it attacked his senses with dark, forbidden pleasure- The room was very sensual, unlike the very orderly and plain, but still luxurious places that Itachi usually picked out. One wall was all windows, though it was mostly covered by some shiny fabric, silk or satin, a deep crimson with glittering gold embroidery, draped in a messy sort of way across the clear glass, though it broke just enough in the center to let in some of the silvery moonlight from outside. The watery, dull blue and silver from outside mixed, and meshed well with the interior; It was war and peace all at once. Inside this room, it was all fire, and burning red passion, while a cool breeze blew in from the cracked window, caressing Sasuke's skin just as he was sure he would be singed by the heavy warmth laid out before him.

He glanced over curiously at the step up that formed a new room without need for walls; sheer crimson fabric made up the makeshift divider, though it was easily enough seen that there was a bed lurking just behind it. A large, round bed with plush covers that matched the curtains over the windows, fiery red and royal gold; No surprise, the canopy wrapped around the great cushioned expanse was matching in the crimson color-scheme, adorned by glittering gold beads that flashed momentarily in the candlelight.

And if the burning, silky red of the room's visual and the dizzying-sweet scent that fluttered in the air wasn't enough to intoxicate Sasuke's senses, his brother's deep, purring voice beckoning him was the very thing that tipped him over the edge of ecstacy. His eyes flickered over toward Itachi, and Sasuke looked as dazed as a deer that had just walked out into an open field, and met with the blinding glow of headlights all at once.

Seeing Itachi sitting right out in the open space, looking up at him with blood red eyes, his hair falling loosely over his shoulders, and his graceful figure wrapped comfortably in dark red and gold haori that wasn't even tied; Sasuke might have mistaken him for one of the pleasure-whores, if he didn't know already that it was his brother sitting here. He slid his sandals off at the hallway opening, and preceded forward with bare feet, letting the black velvet of the mat in the center of the room meet with rough skin, and once he made it over to the small table Itachi was kneeled at, he joined him in the relaxed position, though he stared with questioning coal-black eyes at the bottles sitting just on top of the surface, and the tiny cups in their company.

Itachi may have changed out of that Akatsuki cloak, and Sasuke could see he had changed his bandages, or else he had his friend from downstairs assist him in doing so, and he had taken his hair down and combed through it so it trailed down his back and over his shoulders like inky black strands of silk, and most strangely the elder Uchiha brother had the hint of a smile tugging at his lips, but still, something else was different about him, something that could be detected visually but could not be identified... Sasuke was missing it, and it frustrated him.

"...So.." Sasuke began in a quiet, emotionless voice. "..The woman downstairs... A friend of yours?" It was something obvious to mention, just in order to start a conversation; Even after all this time Sasuke found it very hard to think of regular conversational things to say to his brother, and to his awkward dismay, Itachi merely nodded before turning up his glass and sipping from it.

"..She didn't seem content to just believe me when I said I was your brother... But- I expect you planned it that way, right?" The younger male began again, trying his best to get a response from Itachi. He still spoke calmly, and seemed mostly unconcerned; It was small-talk. He hid the fact that he wished his brother would do more than simply nod to his questions as Itachi continued to do just that.

"She didn't seem like much of a guard, though.. In the case that somebody just decided to push her down and walk past.." Sasuke smiled, speaking this time in a statement rather than a direct question; It begged Itachi to respond, though there was no 'yes' or 'no' option. The low pitched purr of Itachi's detached tone came forward, though he was nonchalant as ever; It was ironic considering the grave danger both brothers were in at this very moment. Perhaps the elder had something clouding his thoughts?

"She is feisty enough to hold enemies off long enough for me to escape cleanly."

Sasuke sort of laughed about that, though he gave his brother a snide yet almost playful sort of glare as he leaned forward, and rested his chin against his palm, and his elbow just on top of the table. "What would make _her_ do that for _you_?"

It was most obvious what Sasuke was suggesting now, and as stoic as Itachi could be, he couldn't restrain himself from some sort of reaction; Subtle, just the twitch of his fingers that held his cup, but Sasuke saw it, and smirked, eying Itachi accusingly. The elder was poised, as if he could care less what Sasuke thought, and his eyes fluttered closed as he turned his head slightly; Sasuke could see so well the dark curve of his eyelashes because of the angle he was facing.

"She owed me the favor."

The younger boy scoffed as his brother merely shrugged off the accusations- He really was no fun. Sasuke could almost imagine that Itachi had made a full evolution into their father, Fugaku. All business, all the time- But Sasuke's curious mind couldn't help but examine that theory, and his fingers reached out to softly spin the bottle Itachi had been pouring the liquid he was consuming from. The boy wanted to read the label, and surprisingly enough he discovered that Itachi may not have been strictly business- The print of the white paper wrapped precisely around the green glass bottle was proof enough, and Sasuke would have smiled if he wasn't so aghast at the realization; His brother was drinking.

He was drinking sake.

Glittering red orbs came up to meet Sasuke's; Itachi knew what his little brother was thinking. He was thinking the same thing he would have thought if he would have caught Itachi doing this when they were kids.

"I never envisioned you being a drinker, Itachi." Sasuke voiced his thoughts clearly enough, though he was sure to do it in a delicate manner. It was amusing that he was treading so carefully now, but who could blame him? Itachi had killed his entire family- Who knew what he would be capable of while intoxicated, right? The teen thought it was best to go about assessing the situation. He really wanted to know how much his brother already had consumed.

Itachi took everything and gave back very little however; The most response he gave was a shrug as he emptied his glass, and busied himself with the task of pouring himself more. He still did this very gracefully, so much so, in fact, that it still gave Sasuke shivers, and the teen accepted with only the slightest reluctance as Itachi poured a second glass, and fingered it in Sasuke's direction.

The younger boy gulped down a mouthful, though he wrinkled his nose at the bitter flavor, and he glanced up to note the fact that Itachi had a weasel's smile on his lips again. Yes, it must have been utterly amusing for Itachi as he drank down glass after glass gracefully with the same blank expression. Sasuke hadn't really drank before, aside from the time he did it with Naruto and Sakura- The Kyuubi kid had been up to typical mischief and had _come upon _a few bottles of sake, and he wanted to share his possession, and the naughty deed of drinking the substance with his friends.

It was all very hilarious- Naruto got steadily louder and more idiotic, then he made a decline to utter grogginess before passing out. Sakura had become uncontrollably giggly, and at first Sasuke had thought he was getting even more depressed, but once he acquired a fair buzz he actually smiled, and enjoyed himself. He laughed at Naruto rather than calling him an idiot, and he had probably draped his arm around both of his friends and tried to experiment with making out before the night was over.

Was that what Itachi was wanting to do now? Was he wanting to drink away his stoic front, and just 'hang out' with Sasuke like real brothers that were also as close as best friends? Though currently it sounded like a ridiculous waste of time, Sasuke continued to consume the liquid in his cup, not strong willed enough to say he truly didn't think that being 'friendly' with his brother wouldn't be at least somewhat enjoyable.

"How much have you had already?" He just came out and asked- No big deal, right? He assumed Itachi would remain as steely as usual; He hadn't done anything out of character yet, really.

He received yet another shrug, though his disappointment must have been clear enough, because Itachi took one look at the way Sasuke was pouting, and he sighed, combing his fingers through his long black hair as he spoke. "Not much... It is as you said, I'm not really a drinker." Funny how easily he contradicted himself as he put the fluid in his cup away in the most dainty gulp, putting the small glass down to pour another as the tip of his tongue pushed out a bit, tracing along his upper lip, savoring the poisonous flavor. Sasuke was watching; He didn't believe he really had ever seen Itachi's tongue out of his mouth before, and it was completely alien. That was his entire explanation for being so absorbed in his brother's action, and studying his lips even afterwards; The shine of wetness there was proof that the teen wasn't imagining things.

He averted his gaze when Itachi's eyes came up to meet his, though he figured the elder probably had noticed the staring- It didn't matter. Sasuke hurriedly drank down his sake, and put his glass down, pushing it to Itachi, silently requesting a refill, and with a slight grin his brother obliged. Sasuke had to at least drink at the same pace as Itachi- It was the ever present urge to outdo the elder that caused the teen to feel so competitive. He just hoped he didn't wind up shit-faced drunk.

"This still seems very strange.." Sasuke commented absently as he sipped at the liquid in his glass; He didn't really say what he meant to be calling strange. It may have been the fact that he was sitting here mostly in silence drinking with his older brother and sworn enemy, or it may have been the fact that Itachi was drinking and looking so.. Pretty, while doing so. Or it may have also been the fact that Sasuke's mind was still tracing back to that scarred woman from downstairs, and the thought of Itachi giving her a quickie as payment for her guarding services.

Maybe Itachi was dressed so appealing because he had been seducing? That was also an awkward thought, and Sasuke even grumbled over it. He made such a fuss that his brother actually thought to say something.

"What is strange, Otouto?" Sasuke hardly recognized a tone that was less than disconnected; No, Itachi actually sounded... Interested- Like he cared. The teen's dark eyes looked up, though he was utterly blank because of surprise. He must have looked just like a child again; Perhaps that was why Itachi smiled a bit once their eyes connected.

"You did say you weren't a drinker... That alone makes this event strange enough." Sasuke thought it was best not to mention that he thought Itachi looked pretty out of that Akatsuki garb; He wished he hadn't thought that to begin with, because next his mind perverted the matter, and imagined Itachi out of clothes altogether. The fact that he had been pleasuring himself at thoughts of his brother pumping into him from behind only made the situation worse. Sasuke was probably blushing as he looked off to the side again- He just hoped the lantern-light was low enough so that Itachi couldn't see.

The elder turned his glass up, bottoming it again, and setting the tiny thing down on the table with a subtle smirk, just so Sasuke could take notice that Itachi had finished before him again. Chain reaction- Sasuke forced himself to finish what remained in his own glass, and that glass joined Itachi's on the table for simultaneous refills. Itachi took that moment to speak, his voice calm, but his tone challenging. "I don't do this often...It dulls the senses, and slows reaction time. It is known to loosen up deep, hidden emotions, and in itself could cause us both to act strangely, but not quite yet, Otouto.."

Sasuke scoffed at Itachi's words. "..What a bullshit reply.." Sasuke didn't even think about his own reply- It just rolled out of his mouth as he forced the sake down his throat and put his glass down, smiling victoriously as he beat Itachi this time around. The elder just raised a brow with his own cup still at his lips, though he finished it off seconds later, and went back to refilling the glasses, speaking as he did so. "...It lessens the pain, Otouto.."

Sasuke just assumed Itachi spoke of physical pain; His wounds, more precisely. But the teen didn't really dwell on that, no, something else was bothering him now. "Stop that."

Itachi looked up, pulling his glass away from his lips for a moment. "Stop what, Otouto..?" His voice sounded utterly unconcerned again, and he continued to unconsciously do exactly what was getting on Sasuke's last nerve; Perhaps he knew what he was doing.

"Stop calling me that.." Sasuke began, his voice ringing with frustration. "Stop acting like everything is okay." The boy was obviously very troubled, though the elder probably expected it was something other than the usual, something that had been added onto the list. He just couldn't be sure of what that was, exactly.

"Everything may not be okay... But you haven't ceased to be my Otouto.." Itachi replied, though his tone was laced with that stern sound, like what he was saying was the truth of the world- He sounded too much like their father. This didn't stop Sasuke from arguing, however.

"You're wrong..." Sasuke spoke in a low edgy tone before he finished off his drink and placed the glass down, beating Itachi yet again. Itachi gave him a questioning look as he drank the last sips of his own beverage, and placed the glass on the tabletop. The teen continued his broken thought as his elder brother refilled their glasses. "I ceased to be your _Otouto_ a long time ago.."

And though Sasuke hadn't expected it, he caught a flash of hurt in his brother's ruby eyes; It was in the way they narrowed just slightly, and the red flickered, practically hidden by those long dark lashes. The teen smiled most triumphantly; He hadn't thought he could deal such a blow in the way of sentimentality when it came to Itachi, but apparently the small size of Itachi's heart left a gaping emptiness in his rib cage, and in that space Sasuke found it easy to make room to attack even the smallest weak point. Ironic.

However, Itachi didn't allow the younger boys victory to remain standing unchallenged. He could continue to allow Sasuke to finish drinks first, but he couldn't let his brother get one up on him when it came to the word wars. Though, the younger brother expected there was something vile hidden between the lines of what Itachi said softly. "..Perhaps it is for the best, then.." Itachi smiled, though that hint of sadness lingered in his eyes, practically undetectable, though Sasuke was learning how to read Itachi's expressionless expressions all over again. He still wished he had completely understood the full meaning of the previous statement. He had always hated when his brother alluded to something but never spoke of things clearly enough to be understood fully.

"What do you mea-" Sasuke started to ask but he was promptly cut off. "Drink, Sasuke." The teen only allowed the interruption to slide because his brother had actually used his name.

Itachi smiled as he laid his glass down on the table. He finished first this time, because Sasuke had apparently gotten distracted with the task of analyzing his words. The teen gulped down the alcohol, and laid his cup next to his brothers.

He waited until Itachi had refilled the glasses again, and started drinking down his own fluid before he spoke again, his words coming out in a stinging but deathly curious tone. "You never told me whether or not you fucked the girl downstairs as payment for her favor.."

Itachi's eyebrow twitched quite visibly, and Sasuke laughed, knowing he had caught his brother off-guard. It was a sweet victory of sorts; He was getting rather good at this, even though Itachi tried to make up for his moment of surprise by responding nonchalantly. "It's really none of your concern.."

"You did, didn't you?" Itachi's eyes watched Sasuke, because for the first time since they met up here, Sasuke had really allowed his words to come out tangled with so many different feelings; It was an indescribable thing to hear. It was even more incredible to try and figure out the reasoning behind it. The teen sounded curious, and frustrated, and ill, and accusing, and even a bit hurt all at once; the elder was doubting his own hearing because of it, truly.

"My, Sasuke... Unless I'm mistaken, you sound..almost...jealous." And now it was Itachi's turn to smirk and Sasuke was the one caught off guard. The elder finished off his drink as the younger gaped.

"Why... Would I... Be... Jealous?" The younger male was still rather stunned as he watched Itachi with wide coal-black eyes, getting only more bent out of shape as his brother leaned slowly across the table, speaking in mocking syllables as he grew closer.

"Good question, Sasuke...Why.. Would you.." He paused, his face only a few inches away from his little brothers. "..Be jealous?" Sasuke could smell the sake on Itachi, and he had just noticed that he felt oddly cloudy. God, he had made out with Naruto AND Sakura last time he was drunk, and now he was getting a heavy buzz, and Itachi was in his face. He gulped and took a deep breath, stammering out a weak reply.

"I- I don't...know, I mean.. I'm not." There was a very tense pause, and a few seconds passed before Itachi backed off, reverting back to his mask of impassiveness. "Finish your drink, Sasuke... I'm waiting on you now."

Sasuke did as he was told, feeling like a child now because of his loss of concentration in the sudden surge of nervousness. The close proximity to Itachi- It made him twist inside, and it took him a minute to regain his composure. This liquid did nothing to calm him, rather he was made only more tense, as did the way he noticed Itachi watching him, those all-seeing sharingan eyes etching over his form, studying the way Sasuke's throat moved as he gulped down the alcohol at his brother's whim. He took a deep breath after he finished and he laid his cup down, allowing Itachi to fill it again.

Sasuke had beaten Itachi a couple of times, but in the long run he didn't really have the tolerance to keep up with his brother's pace. It was going to become very obvious if this did not end soon; His neck was aching, feeling stiff. It was what happened when he started to get drunk, he recognized it. He also recognized the strange warm sensation across his cheeks, and pricking at the tips of his ears- The alcohol was effecting him, but even still, he took back his glass and began to gulp it down furiously, determined to outshine his elder brother, even at something as ridiculous as drinking sake.

He paused for just a moment, thinking he was ahead of his brother anyway- Itachi was far to patient, and he moved too dainty and unconcerned to be ahead, right? That was the teens assumption, and he spoke, his voice low, but imploring.

"So... What task did you have in mind for me..?" Sasuke asked, and continued to drink down the sake steadily. He watched his brother all the while, he watched as Itachi moved the cup slowly away from his lips, and paused, blinking as if he hadn't heard the question, and then he smiled slightly- One of those sneaky weasel smiles; He must have been thinking terrible thoughts, and Sasuke could only dread what he was about to say.

"Fight me." The elder spoke simply, his voice monotone, and to-the-point. His words seemed too simple, however, and Sasuke noticed that immediately; Itachi had made it a point to grin, and foretell his ominous thoughts, he would not have done so unless he had something truly vile in mind. Sasuke drank down the last of the fluid in his cup, then put it down on the table, raising an eyebrow at his brother as he gave him a suspicious look.

"Fine by me... But what is the catch?" The teen's tone was curious, but he didn't allow his voice to ring weak- He was sure that he sounded as if he was up for a great opposition. Letting his weaknesses show in front of Itachi any more than he had already, it would be unacceptable.

"Hand on Hand... No weapons.." Itachi continued, still speaking as if he had this planned out, but he had no real twist to make it insanely difficult, or demeaning. Sasuke sort of shrugged, cutting in with a sarcastic sort of questioning. "No sharingan either?"

Itachi just shook his head, and muttered something Sasuke heard as 'Not on one another..' He obviously had to keep his own sharingan active because otherwise he would be fighting blindly. He would make himself look utterly weak if that were the case. The younger Uchiha still was not fazed or threatened by this challenge, so he spoke up, almost amused, thinking his brother had run out of good ideas. "Anything else?" Itachi nodded to him softly, and Sasuke blinked.

"I want you to fight without any clothes."

It was a good thing Sasuke had swallowed down the last drop of his drink as his brother said that, because otherwise he would have choked, and getting caught in a fit if coughing would have made this moment even more embarrassing and awkward. But- Just to add insult to injury, Itachi pointed at his own glass, which had apparently already been sitting on the table and Sasuke hadn't even noticed.

Sasuke slapped both glasses off the table in a minor fit, and he picked up the bottle, and turned it up, gulping it down for a long extended moment of silence, before he gasped for air, and glared at his older brother, his voice coming out mixed between being offended, and completely embarrassed. "You... Are drunk... If your serious."

Itachi shrugged, that weasel smile resurfacing as he made himself seem like the most sober, and clear-headed individual in all the world. "..No, I'm not drunk, Sasuke.." He paused, letting Sasuke take in the defeat, and meanwhile Itachi basked in what seemed so much like victory at the moment. "Fighting without clothes... You'll be so embarrassed and ashamed... And I didn't share my sake with you, and lure you into competitive drinking for no reason at all... If you even have the balls to fight me in your bare skin, you'll never have a chance at beating me."

Great- Itachi decided to be coy enough to claim Sasuke had no balls while daring him to fight naked. How charming. The bastard.

"I did say.. A long time ago.. I wouldn't let you win next time we played.. And so, I intend to win.." He smirked the vilest smirk on Earth, yet Sasuke was still staring at him in disbelief- When the boy finally found his voice again, the words that came out were hardly pieced together as a sentence. "..You..really..think..you're..going to..win... Don't you?"

"I mean... You've been drinking to... AND you're injured." Sasuke pointed these things out to his brother, thinking that might possibly make Itachi feel he didn't truly have the edge, and then reconsider his challenge. Still, the elder just shrugged- The alcohol must have been effecting him to, because Sasuke still thought this challenge was pouring straight from the insanity unlocked within his mind by alcohol.

"I barely feel this injury- It is nothing to me.. I would have thought you would be the last to underestimate me so, Sasuke.. And as far as the alcohol goes, it really only helped me in that area, plus I would guess you have zero tolerance while I can handle it much better than you... I have the advantage here, and it is only that much more obvious in the way your trying to get out of this. You should just decline now as I know you wish to do, and I will win, as I told you before that I would.."

The elder paused, then he leaned across the table, though not as closely as he had before. That vile smirk was still printed over his usually blank countenance. "Sasuke... You're fucked."

And what a thing to hear from Itachi's mouth. The teen couldn't believe what he was hearing, then again, they both had been drinking, so he allowed it to roll off a bit easier than he would have if he were sober right now. Instead he just got angry about it, and groaned just like a pouty child being forced to eat vegetables. He would prove Itachi wrong- He would prove that he wouldn't linger in his brother's shadow forever- He would prove that he wasn't afraid, that he could succeed..

...And as crude as it sounded- Goddamn it- He would prove he had the balls...

He sighed, and stood, and without another word he stripped, untying his sash, and letting it fall with a soft thud to the ground. It was followed seconds later by the white haori, and the teen seemed to cling to his clothes, letting the pure white of the soft cloth slip slowly from his lean shoulders, and down his arms until it joined the sash on the ground. Finally, Sasuke slid himself out of his pants and his underwear in one push of his thumbs, and the last of his covering, and his dignity laid in a pool around his bare feet.

His eyes glanced off to the side, at the floor, and unconsciously his hands came up to cover the more private areas of the pale expanse of his bared flesh. He was so ashamed, so utterly embarrassed right now. He wished he could sink into the floor and disappear, but he couldn't back out of this. Itachi... Itachi was his brother for God's sake- Another man, a flesh and blood relative that was of the same gender, and who had seen Sasuke without clothes hundreds of times before.

Then again, the last time Itachi had laid eyes on Sasuke's bare body, Sasuke had been just a kid. He had a tiny little body made of soft, delicate flesh with baby-fat still clinging on, smooth, unmarred skin, and a little immature organ that was small and unnoticeable. Now that wasn't the case- Sasuke remembered seeing Itachi changing clothes a long time ago. Itachi's body had been fully matured, and so utterly different from what Sasuke hid beneath his clothes, then. Now, however, it was practically the exact same. The teen was muscled, though still very lean and graceful in appearance, and he had shifted past his last little growth spurt into a fully grown body.

If it wasn't enough that he was naked now, and he was trying his best to cover that private area that had grown just as much as the rest of his body, but he had gone to the trouble of cleanly shaving his pubic region for whatever reason. It only made it seem as if he had expected this, as if he was trying hard to make himself appealing. Or perhaps not for Itachi, but for somebody, obviously. The elder Uchiha was probably looking at Sasuke now, and wondering exactly that.

Who was Sasuke getting all prettied-up for, anyway?

But the humiliated teen couldn't even think to look up as he heard Itachi moving to get to his feet. He twitched a bit, raising dark eyes in his elder's direction, but not quite focused on him; It was just enough to get an idea of what Itachi was doing; Standing, still quite agile, despite the alcohol consumption, and he padded closer to Sasuke, walking with silent footsteps, and without the normal bounce of human gait; Itachi practically floated across the floor. The younger boy's breathing was hitched and nervous, and he wished it weren't so, because he just knew Itachi was getting one more little ounce of pleasure from every little sound; It was utterly mortifying.

Sasuke tried exceedingly hard to hide behind strands of loose black hair as Itachi stood just a few feet in front of him. The boy couldn't see the subtle smirk across the older Uchiha's face, but he could more than likely hear it once Itachi spoke. "Sasuke... Are your cheeks so flushed from the alcohol or from being completely exposed..?"

The boy twitched away slightly as he felt his brothers fingers come up to be brushed against his cheeks. Oh no, no Itachi, Sasuke's face should have been flushed in pure anger. How could the elder sink so low as this? He hadn't made fools of the Uchiha before he killed them, so why did he save Sasuke to toy with in this manner? Wasn't it enough Sasuke had grown up viewed as worthless and talentless garbage? Wasn't it enough his fellow clansmen had always looked down on him when they looked at him at all? Wasn't it enough that he lived his life in constant bouts of manic depression? Wasn't it enough that wherever he went, and whoever he faced, he was known as the 'pitiful survivor of the tragedy of the Uchiha- The one member who wasn't even worth the murderer's time- The one destined for failure'. Wasn't that enough suffering and embarrassment?

He slapped his brother's hand away, turning his face so those rough fingertips couldn't stroke his cheek any longer; Itachi didn't deserve to be able to even look at Sasuke like this, so touching Sasuke in any way other than fighting was even more unacceptable.

"Don't touch me!" Sasuke's words were spat from his mouth in utter disgust- They probably even left a bitter taste on his tongue. He glared with as much hatred boiling from his crimson eyes as there was locked inside his shattered heart, though he still didn't feel he could stomach an eye-to-eye stare with Itachi, so he just let those blood-red eyes look elsewhere while his face was wrinkled in rage- Just like a snarling dog. Itachi just laughed that soft, laid-back laugh. "I remember this fury, Sasuke... I remember it well... And it always was your older brother that made you feel this way, wasn't it? This rage.. Burning, fiery, blood-lusting hatred... It could have made you very powerful... Though... You always tend to act without thought when this overtakes you... You always tend to do and say things that you'll regret..."

Sasuke could hear the vilest smirk coiling Itachi's lips, and what was most terrible was that he couldn't bare to look up, and witness such an expression; It would seem like a distant hallucination, like some hardcore drug on top of the alcohol induced whirling of the room. Sasuke tipped a bit, but steadied himself quite quickly, not allowing himself to seem weak in front of his brother. Curse Itachi- Just standing there comfortably poised with his weight steadied on the soles of his feet, his body relaxed and fluid in the embrace of gravity. If the room had turned to water, then Itachi was floating, whereas Sasuke felt as if he was being swept by some foreign current. It wasn't fair, but then again- What was?

"_I'm not an object! I don't want to have my worth measured by how well I work! I don't want to live constantly being measured against Itachi! Why can't I just be accepted for who I am? Why do you have to be so much better than me, Itachi? Why can't you just stop trying to hog all the light? It-Is-Not-Fair!"_

_Sasuke panted, completely out of breath after his little rant. Grumbling, and still trying to catch his breath he headed over to collect his shuriken, plucking them carefully out of their off-positions, doing it just as always so that he didn't cut himself by accident. He let his attention stray away for a second, though, looking over, sensing the ghostly presence had returned, but what he saw, he wished it had been something as harmless as a ghost. Fate wasn't so merciful, because there hidden just behind a tree near the yard entrance was Itachi, watching Sasuke in silence with cold black eyes._

_His eyes were colder than usual, and different somehow, in some way Sasuke couldn't exactly place. He was too shocked at the moment to try anyway._

_The young boy immediately lowered his eyes to the ground, in shame. He hoped sincerely that Itachi hadn't heard him, though he knew deep inside that Itachi had been here for every word. It made his gut twist in an agonizing way; He would never be able to forge an antidote for the poison he had allowed to seep from his being. He tried to speak, but his voice was terribly weak, and shaky. "..I didn't know you were there.."_

_Itachi's response was quick, and precise, just like a sharp weapon aimed and thrown with utmost accuracy that hit its mark in a flash that was quicker than a second in time. His voice wasn't quite emotionless; There was something dark about it. "..I know you didn't.."_

The memory made Sasuke want to wretch; His anger now was as powerful as his feisty childhood frustrations, but back then he hadn't had real reasons to blame his brother. Really the blame should have rested on the shoulders of the entirety of the clan, and Itachi alone should have been the one exonerated from Sasuke's immatured childhood hatred. It was tragic, really- He was a child who loved his brother more than anything, and he thought his brother had loved him just the same. Itachi always stuck up for him, and watched out for him, and Itachi was the one soul on the planet that made him happy- He loved him, more than anything, and yet that day he allowed dark poison to flow from his being. He had alienated the one person who seemed to care, the one person who noticed him, the one person who looked at him like a human being, the one person that _loved him_. The clan's ways had turned Sasuke against Itachi that day. Sasuke hated his brother in those moments of rage, and it was over the clan; Over such a menial thing like attention, and recognition. None of them ever cared about Sasuke- They viewed him as talentless garbage in comparison to Itachi, didn't they? And Sasuke knew deep inside it wasn't Itachi's fault that this was so; But damn them all, the boy could have died and none of them would have truly noticed. They wouldn't have cared at all.

Itachi would have been the only one to grieve over Sasuke if the child had died back then; He would have been the only blackened soul standing out in the rain that would fall as Sasuke rotted in the ground; He would have loomed, and lingered at that fresh patch of shifted Earth, and his mind certainly would have twisted itself around some rather disturbed thoughts. Would he have dug his little brother up? Would he have hoarded that tiny corpse? What would he have done? Sasuke shuddered, surprised at his own morbid train of thought. He was suddenly feeling sick again- He really needed to shut his mind off.

"..That day... The day I drug your name through the dirt because Father never acknowledged me in the same way he did you... When you listened in, and heard me speaking those words... Did it hurt you then? Did your heart crumble in the same manner mine did once I realized you had heard what I said..?"

"..What a stupid question.." Itachi's voice spoke up softly, but rather promptly in response. He hadn't intended for his comment to turn into a total trip down memory lane- He hated having his innards exposed in such a way, and right now Sasuke was directing the light right on him.

"Answer me, goddamn it!" Sasuke cringed at his own anger, balling his fists as his nude body tensed, and his eyes bored even more powerfully into the ground, into that delicate purple coat of polish on his brothers pale toes.

"..." Itachi was hesitating, but his little brother wouldn't allow it, would he? Sasuke was pitching a little fit, and his insistence was unignorable. Itachi didn't want to lie, but he couldn't leave this hanging. "...Of course it hurt, Sasuke."

"Why?" Sasuke's voice cut in quickly, pounding Itachi with one question after another, and he sought to delve as far into the tangled inner-workings of Itachi's mind as he possibly could before his brother evicted him from that hallowed space.

"..Because... It seemed so much..As if... As if you.."

"Hated you?" Sasuke spoke up, cutting in again and cutting Itachi off. The elder didn't like being interrupted, but he allowed it this time because he seemed to be having trouble sorting out his own explanation of things- It was embarrassing, really. Sasuke scoffed, though, feeling as though his brother had just made the most immense blunder; Itachi must have known it as well, or else he wouldn't have been so reluctant to speak of this, right?

"..Well now you really are contradicting yourself, aren't you?" Sasuke smirked, but Itachi didn't see it because he had glanced off to the side, backed into a corner now. Itachi narrowed his eyes painfully, though Sasuke wouldn't see it because he still couldn't look his brother in the face. They hardly ever displayed emotion around one another, and when they did, they both missed it. Ironic.

"I mean..." Sasuke began again, feeling as if he had made the most clever discovery. He had found a sort of weak point in his brother's intricate plot of the past. "You claim that it hurt to hear me tearing you down because it seemed as though I hated you... But then you killed everybody, and paraded it in front of my fucking face, and told me to hate and despise you... You_ told_ me to hate you, and _wanted_ me to hate you... If it hurt for me to hate you, then why the hell would you want to _make me_? It seems fairly illogical, Itachi..."

"..You don't understand.." The elder spoke up, his voice hardly audible, as if he didn't even want to try to explain himself. "..You already hated me, Sasuke.. Killing the clan didn't change a thing.. It was already there.. You hated me because I took their attention so they paid no mind to you.. And then I took them away completely.."

"Bullshit, Itachi! I was frustrated when I was a kid, but I didn't hate you. What we had was typical sibling rivalry, commonplace occurrence.." Sasuke panted, running out of breath as he continued to harass his elder brother. "Wanting attention and seeing your entire family killed... Those things are on different levels altogether.. But it doesn't matter now- Now I do hate you, I did what you told me to do, I hate you more than anything else, and I hope you're pleased with yourself.."

Sasuke fidgeted as he heard his brother sigh in frustration, and turn around, and walk over to the window. The younger boy smiled; He had gotten into Itachi's head, he had effected him, he had broken his front. It was a slight victory, and yet Sasuke was only now able to fully look up at Itachi, because Itachi had his back turned. He was facing the window, and with the soft shuffling sound of fabric being pushed back, Itachi moved the drapes aside, and gazed out at the silvery moon, glittering lonely in the sky.

"...The golden, life giving glow of the sun... The silver face of the pale moon, stealing her light, and reflecting it..."

"What are you mumbling about over there?" Sasuke spoke up, his words harsh as he detected the sound of his brother's voice, though the low pitch mixed with the soft tone made his words inaudible. If it couldn't be said beforehand that Itachi had lost his mind, then it was clear enough the last bit of his sanity had slipped through his fingers now.

"..Nothing, Sasuke.." There was a pause, the long, awkward kind, and then the thickness in the air was rippled by the soft sound of Itachi's low, insane laughter. There was something sad about it, but Sasuke didn't really understand. He couldn't read Itachi's mind right now, even if he wanted to. Itachi started to turn around, and Sasuke averted his gaze- Back to the floor. He listened without looking, though he moved his hands to rub at his upper arms, beginning to chill in the breeze flowing through the cracked windows. "..It still hurts.. To hear you say that.."

"...What?"

"And I'm not pleased...Not with myself... Killing the clan, at least. It isn't as if it gave me joy, but... The deed itself, laying them all to waste.. It is the one thing I don't regret... They deserved it... Every one of them... Still- That doesn't change how hard it was to do.."

Sasuke growled under his breath, taken back to that night he looked down at all of his beloved relatives dead, everybody, all gone, his parents, sprawled out and cold, leaking blood from various wounds inflicted mercilessly from the very spawn they created from their destroyed flesh. Fugaku and Mikoto, they had _given_ Itachi life, and Itachi... He had _taken_ it away. How could he claim what he did was right? "..You're sick.."

"No Sasuke.." Itachi spoke up this time, cutting Sasuke off. His voice was mostly the same, though now it had a passionate sort of edge. That echo in the elder's voice almost caused Sasuke to fully look up at him. "Don't you understand.." He took a few steps closer, but Sasuke backed off upon hearing his soft and almost nonexistent footfalls. "They... They hurt you Sasuke.. Remember? They hurt both of us.. They ignored you, they called you worthless, they said you would never measure up... They said you could never compare..to me."

This was poison Itachi was speaking now, somewhat truthful, yes, but he was twisting it, he was trying to ensnare Sasuke, and the younger Uchiha refused to fall prey. He closed his eyes, and turned his head to the side as he heard his brother coming closer, drawn in like some thoughtless moth to a raging flame. He reached out again, and laid his gentle fingertips against Sasuke's cheek. This time Sasuke didn't slap those warm digits away, he just squeezed his eyes shut, and allowed Itachi his moment of affection. It was all empty gestures to Sasuke anyway.

"Sasuke.." Itachi whispered his Otouto's name, forbidden from calling him by the endearing term. "They said you couldn't do it.. You wanted it more than anything, but they discouraged you.. I gave you what you needed.. I gave you.. The best initiative.. To grow more powerful than me... I gave... Everything up... For you... Do you understand?"

There was another pause- Sasuke was trembling, though he had no idea why. He was trying so hard to filter his brother's words out, but every little syllable had registered in his mind. He settled, pushing it all to the very back, and remaining silent, not giving into Itachi, not collapsing for him to piece back together as if he had done some good deed. He wouldn't let his brother take over now- No, he could not, would not, should not.

But when Sasuke refused to speak up, Itachi moved again, lowering his fingers to his brother's chin, clasping it gently, and lifting it, trying to force Sasuke to look at him. "..Sasuke.." The older brother whispered the name of the younger softly, allowing that name to roll sweetly off his tongue- It was hypnotic. It was horrific. "Sasuke.. You won't be able to fight me.. If you can't even look at me.."

Damn it all- He had a point now. Sasuke did have to look at Itachi once they commenced to the actual spar bypassing the sidetrack. Dark eyes scanned upward, slowly; Sasuke was forcing his eyes up, pitting some distant bravery against his better judgement. Looking Uchiha Itachi in the eye could be a lethal mistake for many, so who could blame Sasuke for his hesitance, right? His gut twisted as his pools finally connected with his brother's. Itachi.. He didn't even have his sharingan activated.. He couldn't even see if Sasuke was looking at him or not, but apparently, somehow he could feel it. And it was almost heartbreaking to look into Itachi's eyes now; Those same dark eyes that Sasuke knew so well from his childhood, though now they had a blue glaze to them, a silver shine, like the moon itself. Blindness truly had overtaken him. It was why he constantly had his sharingan active. He expended a steady amount of chakra just to get a fuzzy image of the things around him. Could he even fully see his brother, now? Could he truly see the man his brother had grown into? He had been reduced to something pathetic, and for whatever reason, it was painful to witness. Perhaps he knew that.

"..Itachi.. Your eyes.."

"Were you listening to me, Sasuke..? I don't speak such words easily, and it is unlikely that I will repeat them.."

"...Yes. I was listening."

Itachi nodded, looking very content with this knowledge. He probably didn't particularly know if Sasuke was taking his words into true consideration, but what were his hopes? What did he truly want from all this? ..More importantly, why was Sasuke worrying himself with Itachi's desires?

The teen pushed himself back, straining his body against the wall at his back, as if he could indeed be absorbed into the surface, and escape the feeling of Itachi's fingers trailing down his neck, and to his trembling shoulders. The way his skin rippled with gooseflesh at that soft touch, and he shuddered; He knew Itachi could feel that just beneath his finger tips, Itachi could hear the shaky breathing, Itachi could tell Sasuke was unnerved by his brother's wandering hands, and at the same time.. Sasuke was.. Something else. The teen closed his eyes again, expecting to hear one of his brother's mocking laughs, but the taunting never came.

"Sasuke.."

The boys eyes snapped open at the sound of his name being called out softly. Could Itachi tell Sasuke was trying to block him out, even as his own eyes were completely blind without the aid of his sharingan?

"..Why are you shaking so furiously..? ..What are you so afraid of..?"

Sasuke swallowed, trying to rid himself of the lump forming in his throat; It was probably his own heart, squirming and pounding for an escape. But as Sasuke remained in suffocating silence, Itachi spoke up. "..It's only me.. You remember.. I've seen your bare skin many times before.."

"..This is.. Different.. I'm different.. Your different.."

"No.." Itachi pressed a fingertip to Sasuke's lips, quieting him. "..You are different.. But the only thing different about me.. Is that I can't even see you fully anymore... Allow me to see you now, Sasuke... Let me look upon the perfection I know you've grown into.. Before I lose the light completely.."

Sasuke shifted a bit, obviously very uncomfortable, especially as his brother's spindly fingers came up to wrap softly around his neck. Sasuke wasn't sure what Itachi meant by such a touch- The position itself was utterly threatening, and yet, Itachi made no move to harm his younger brother- No, not this time. "..Okay.. Okay." Sasuke's voice came out more whiney than he intended; He sounded just like a child, a child struggling against his older brother's persuasions, agreeing if only to escape from the pressure being put on.

"...Sasuke."

"...What is it..?"

Itachi's blind eyes flickered over Sasuke's face, as if he truly was studying him though he could only perceive darkness, and then, in an unsure sort of movement, he inched forward slightly, pausing again as if he were thinking about his actions carefully, weighing his options, talking himself out of an action he would later regret. Sasuke loosened, and his shivering stopped for a moment; Itachi was so close, he was practically absorbing his older brother's warmth; it felt... So calming, and familiar. Just like laying in bed with him, in the safety of his arms, so long ago. For this instant, Sasuke felt now what he had felt then, and he almost.. Welcomed this closeness, as alien as it seemed now. He muttered his brother's name softly, so much so that even if the room were filled with other people, only these two brother's word have heard the distant whisper roll off of Sasuke's tongue. He could feel Itachi's fingers lightly stroking the heavy beating of his pulse, scanning him with perceptive fingers, testing, and observing how his muscles had relaxed, and yet his pounding heartbeat was only going faster and faster. It was just enough to push Itachi forward those extra inches, connecting the brothers' lips in a soft, tender, but very wary and restrained kiss. It was so warm, and gentle, but filled with so much longing and emotion; It was the most the brother's had shown to one another from behind their cold facades. But it was just that- A small display of affection, a reassurance, a connection that was pushed only so far. It was so cautious, but it still held so much promise; the lock between lips that lasted for an extended moment- It seemed so innocent, and yet they remained together longer than a gesture between family members. Both wanted more, but neither would make the move yet to achieve it, and yet neither wanted to break the contact.

Eventually it was broken, however, by the only one who truly could back away without seeming completely disgusted, and that was Itachi. He drew himself away from Sasuke by a few painful inches, and there they stared, sharingan to blazing red sharingan, relenting, yielding, allowing the tension to slip away, and just accepting things, for just a moment.

And yet they still resisted a bit too much.

The elder was the first to speak. His words were short, but he expected his little brother to understand almost completely what he meant by them. "..Before I lose you again.. I wanted you to know.. So that you could never doubt.."

"_Can I have a kiss from you, Itachi?"_

"_I want a kiss from you... So that I can know that I'm special to you."_

Sasuke nodded to his brother, and at last Itachi backed away. The younger Uchiha took a deep breath, feeling as if he had been submerged in some dark water all while his brother had been so close to him- Damned nerves. It wasn't always like that, as a matter of fact, it used to be the opposite. Some days Sasuke wished he could let his inner child take the controls' That young boy would have handled these situations perfectly, wouldn't he?

He reached up, and traced his fingertips against his own lips, not really sure if he believed in what had just happened. What on Earth was Itachi trying to prove? What did he mean by all this? It was probably just some intricate trick, drawing Sasuke in to be made a fool of, and Sasuke just couldn't help but distrust his brother, no matter how fast his heart beat when Itachi got close. No matter how Itachi sugar-coated the past with his words, it didn't change things at all. True, the clan had been unfair, and they ignored Sasuke, but they didn't deserve death because of that. And how could Itachi, after all this time, try to change his story; How could he try to fix everything? How could he try to make up for the time lost? For the time wasted? How could he expect to mend the situation by explaining himself to his brother, by making everything sound like he did it for good reasons? How could he expect Sasuke to forgive him now just because of all that sentimentality? Because he didn't want to hurt Sasuke, because he couldn't kill Sasuke, because he wanted to be close to Sasuke, because he longed for such tiny things such as the sight of his own grown up brother? And because he could share an affectionate, but intimate moment with Sasuke, and mean it just as honestly and deeply as he had when Sasuke was just a silly little kid. Did he think all that would cause Sasuke to forgive him? Did he think Sasuke would stop _hating_ him just because he was trying to show Sasuke how much he truly _loved_ him.

How could Sasuke forget all the torture, all the loneliness, all the depression, all the shame, all the pain, all those cold mornings where he woke up utterly alone, wanting and needing his Nii-San and his family, where he had nothing anymore? How could he forget that Itachi had slaughtered every single Uchiha, then ran the images of the deaths through his head on more than one occasion? How could he forget all the times Itachi had made him physically hurt, and bleed, and bruise? How could he forget the merciless Tsukuyomi Itachi had used on him multiple times?

Did Itachi think he could make all that pain vanish?

Perhaps Sasuke was stupid, and naive, and easily fooled, but for just a second he thought maybe Itachi's death would do nothing to rid him of the emptiness he felt... In fact, it would only worsen it to cut Itachi down, and remove him from this world.. Forever.

"..I think.." Sasuke began, trying to find words to cover up the growing thickness in the air. "..I think it is the alcohol speaking, _Aniki._."

The final word in Sasuke's sentence came out sounding as if it still held very much unspoken contempt within, and as Itachi paced a few feet away from his younger sibling, then turned to face him, it was clear that it had hit him just the way it was intended to. It was vague, but it was there, something in the loose way Itachi held himself, and the clouded way those vibrant red eyes gazed in Sasuke's direction, consuming the view of the boy's exposed figure. Itachi was... disappointed, sullen in such a way, but too fatigued by Sasuke's stubborn resolute to struggle any longer. "Think what you wish, Sasuke."

It was some sort of granted superiority for Sasuke, wasn't it? Was Itachi letting his little brother win because he no longer held the will to battle against the younger male's burning fiery hatred locked within? Or was there some reason he was expecting Sasuke to continue to withdraw himself? Sasuke didn't have the time to pry into it- He was distracted by the way Itachi raised his hand, and pawed softly at the air, gesturing in the usual way, beckoning Sasuke to come closer, though as Sasuke's body blindly obeyed Itachi's calls, that same hand remained raised up, and was held defensively out in front of th elder.

"Did you intend to do as I asked, Sasuke..?" Itachi's voice was monotone, coated in his typical couldn't-care-less attitude. He had shifted back into his outward armor that quickly? "It is something you used to want.. Why do you not rush into it now as you have before?"

Sasuke's eyes narrowed, insulted- Itachi was speaking of the previous fights, which hadn't been fights, but rather, Sasuke had always rushed at Itachi, then been promptly laid out by his brother. He didn't know if he could even be much of a challenge now, because honestly... He had zero experience when it came to fighting in bare skin. Still he shifted into a fighting stance, though it was an extremely awkward one- His cheeks flushed hotly as he watched his brother's eyes trail shamelessly to his lower regions, observing those parted muscular legs, and the flaccid organ hanging between them. Sasuke had to bite down on his lip to keep himself from blurting out a string of obscenities in his indignation. Instead he rushed into the fight, just because he no longer wished to stand there and allow his brother to gaze at him like some piece of meat. That was about as demeaning as it got.

Sasuke's movements were without warning, and in a graceful flash, and thinking he could easily just engage his brother, and go into a bout of continuous hand-on-hand combat that would span out for a while before somebody lost, he threw the first punch, aimed directly at the elder's face. Itachi may have been injured, and Sasuke specifically reminded himself not to strike his brother's wounded areas, but Itachi could take a lot of punishment before he was beaten; Pain seemed to roll off of the elder Uchiha, as if it didn't effect him at all. This was all Sasuke worried himself with at first, the thought that his brother may not be willing to give up; However, he was given something else to worry about- The thought that he may have not been able to land a punch at all.

This thought was brought on by the fact that Itachi merely drew that defensive hand up in a precise movement, and he grabbed Sasuke by the wrist, stopping the punch before it was able to connect. It was just like the other times- Sasuke was stopped in his attack just as he had been when he was seven years old.

Itachi didn't move like he had before, however- His grasp was more gentle this time, though his methods weren't focused on beating Sasuke down physically, but rather, he sought to attack mentally. He yanked the younger boy closer by the wrist he held in his grip, and just as Sasuke thought to break the grip with his free arm, Itachi apprehended that thought, and moved his hand to block his younger brother before he slid his arm over Sasuke's and wrapped it around so that the younger male couldn't move.

"You had better be serious, Sasuke.." Itachi spoke up- He was no fool. He knew he hadn't stopped his brother so easily for no reason at all. The younger male was still holding back. "..I'm not going to simply _let_ you hit me this time.."

Sasuke groaned as he struggled, feeling Itachi lean closer and closer to his ear, whispering challenging words as his warm breath rushed against the younger boy's bare skin. He was sure Itachi was loving every moment of this, especially the feel of Sasuke's naked body drawn up against his own, the skin of their chests pressing together as Sasuke tried his best to escape. The younger sibling could have swore he saw Itachi smirk, though he couldn't give it a second glance; By that time Itachi had already swept his feet out from under him, and struck him in the rib cage with an open-palmed blow, effectively knocking him backwards.

The younger of the two was not discouraged, nor was he so easily floored. Rather, his mind quickly wrapped around the situation, and he arched his body, throwing his freed hands back to catch the floor, and his fingers pushed against the surface as his legs flew over his head, and he flipped back, springing, and landing back on his feet in a fluid movement. He was able to catch his elder lifting an eyebrow at the cat-like reflexes, and the even more cat-like litheness of Sasuke's body as he performed the simple backward handspring. But there was only a second of pause before those strong legs pushed against the ground, and with a few forward steps, Sasuke leapt into the air, thrusting himself at his brother from a more elevated level. He spun into a hard kick, but his move was parried again, and throwing his legs up and over he flung two more punches down at Itachi, blocked both times, though he pushed his hands down against his brothers, and used the momentum to swing himself over the elder's head, hitting the floor, and springing toward the elder's open back. He thought he had Itachi now, though as he went to grapple the elder from behind, Itachi crouched and reached up, his grip exact as always, and again he caught his brother by the wrist, and flung him mercilessly over his shoulder. Sasuke's back met the ground with a hard thud, and he gasped as the air was knocked out of him.

Sasuke coughed, and panted as he tried to catch his breath, and all the while he stared up angrily as Itachi smiled down at him; The look in Itachi's burning red eyes, it was foreign to Sasuke, alien. There was more warmth present in the elder's eyes than he would ever allow. Sasuke arched a bit, moving his hands beneath him to rub his back; He was going to have a few nasty bruises from that impact, and he knew it- Why did he feel like a total moron for thinking Itachi wasn't going to actually hit him? Why did he imagine this happening similar to how it did when they sparred as kids- Sasuke would come at Itachi from every angle, and Itachi would block and defend, but never hit the younger boy. The younger sibling practically growled as his brothers fingers brushed through his thick onyx locks, petting, patronizing, all with that same soft look across his pretty face. If Sasuke were a snarling dog, then he would have bitten down on those dainty fingers, and torn them right off.

"..Get up, Sasuke... Try harder.." Itachi's words were whispered almost sweetly, and Sasuke bristled at the sound, lifting, and curling his legs against him, rolling himself up before he sprung back to an upright position. He watched Itachi stand, moving with just the slight rustle of the long haori jacket hanging off his shoulders, and no noise other than that. The movement was so liquid, with Itachi jerking his head to the side just a bit so that his bangs were thrown back out of his eyes.

With a red glare Sasuke lunged forward, flipping into the air, and landing a few paces in front of Itachi- By this point he had forgotten about his brothers injury, and he was planning on hitting him at all costs. His body spun into a powerful kick, but Itachi responded reflexively, catching the younger boy by the leg, but without even a second of thought, Sasuke rotated himself swiftly bringing his other foot up in an attempt to connect his bare heal with his brother's head. Itachi blocked it, but released his younger sibling in the process, and as the elder refocused himself, Sasuke leaped, and landed behind Itachi, throwing another kick, though his brother finally moved to dodge, and flipped forward, spinning in the air, and he landed facing Sasuke so that while Sasuke had already dashed forward and thrown a punch meant to connect with his brother's head, Itachi was right there to apprehend his movements, and counter them. Sasuke didn't let the fact that he still hadn't landed a hit slow him down for an instant. He grasped his brother's wrist, and sprung over Itachi's head, pulling his arm with him, intending to yank him down by bending his arm in such a way that it is not supposed to bend. He was disappointed to say the least, when he found out his brother was quite capable of copying the movement with ease- It was such a simple maneuver, it didn't even require sharingan. Once Sasuke had landed behind Itachi, Itachi mimicked the younger boy and merely arched and flipped himself back over Sasuke's shoulder, dragging the younger males arms along, though the grip wasn't strong enough to hold, and Sasuke pulled free, curling and rolling back through the gap between Itachi's legs. Once he was out of the crouch he dashed to the side, focusing the chakra in his feet, and he ran in a flash up the wall, and across the ceiling, flipping, and twirling downward with a kick aimed at his brother's head.

It had taken Sasuke too long to come at Itachi, however, and that was a fatal mistake, because Itachi read into Sasuke's movement, and predicted the attack. The elder sprung against the ground, and aimed his own kick upward- The strike connected with the younger boy's back, and with a groan of sudden pain Sasuke was sent hurtling back upward, though Itachi grabbed him by the arm, and yanked him down. Sasuke let out another yelp at the sudden jerk on his arm, and the stress on his shoulder, and he flashed toward the ground, though with another uncomfortable jerk Itachi held him up just enough so that Sasuke's legs met the ground, and his bent knees dangled a few inches above. The younger boy cried out from the pain shooting down his arm and through his shoulder joint.

Itachi didn't even give the younger boy time to recover from the sudden pain before he pulled so that Sasuke was forced to stumble to his feet, though his body was twirled, and maneuvered beyond his own control, and the elder turned Sasuke so that he faced forward, and his arms were held straight, and crossed behind his back in a most uncomfortable, and submitted position. Sasuke bit his lip, stifling the cries of pain that might have been pouring out if he were weaker, though he could not move or escape from this position, and all he could do was wait in silence to see what Itachi planned on doing.

Itachi tugged Sasuke gently so that he could press himself against his younger brothers bare back, and he increased the tension on the boy's arms, forcing Sasuke to let out a few more of those pitiful, but delicious little noises. "..ahh-un.."

The elder almost snickered as he ghosted his lips across the shell of Sasuke's ear, whispering to him mockingly. "..Sasuke... You'll never kill me if this is all you have.."

The younger male struggled a bit, feeling his brothers grip tighten as he did so, but he had to resist- He couldn't allow the pain to get the best of him. He screamed out angrily, a feral war cry as he got fed up with this wretched embarrassment. Damn Itachi- First he spilled his guts out like he wanted forgiveness for all his wrong doings, and now he was doing his best to make Sasuke feel utterly inferior, and like a little bitch.

Well, that just wouldn't do.

Sasuke kicked his leg back, encircling Itachi's leg, and he forced himself backward, utterly proud now that he could feel Itachi stumbling backward. Yes- Now Itachi would know what it was like to be on his back, and Sasuke would wrestle him into an unescapable pin from here.

Or at least that was what he had hoped for; Sadly enough for the younger brother, Itachi was still mindful even as he lost his balance, and went toppling toward the floor. He utilized the death grip he had on his sibling, and with a single jerk he spun himself so that Sasuke was the one facing the floor, and once they hit the hard ground Sasuke absorbed the impact with the floor, and also his brother's weight pushed against his back. The boy groaned, having the breath pushed out of him for the second time, and he found it hard to restore it with his brother draped across his back. He gasped, and coughed, and struggled, but his brother still was restraining his arms, and causing waves of pain to shoot into his shoulders. The boy lowered his head, letting his forehead press against the ground and he breathed deeply, trying to force his lungs to expand despite the weight being pressed down upon him.

Itachi moved to sit himself up, straddling his younger brother's back as if the boy were some helpless animal being restrained in such a way- He could feel Sasuke's fire dying inside; He went limp, and motionless, and just laid beneath the older sibling catching his breath as best he could. Itachi smiled a tiny weasel smile, and his eyes glittered red at the back of the boy beneath him. "Have you given up then Sasuke..?"

The elder removed one of his hands from the death grip he had on Sasuke's wrists, feeling he could hold him with just one hand, and he continued to laugh softly to himself as his freed hand meandered up to rub against Sasuke's shoulder, massaging it slightly as if he were mocking the pain the boy surely was feeling. His fingers continued to trail downward, against that lithe shoulder blade, and the areas of muscular back that were exposed. He was toying with his little brother now, but Sasuke didn't plan to take it lying down. No, he had to escape, because he had no other option.

In his last burst of energy Sasuke struggled, and jerked his hands free, quickly reaching over his shoulder, and grabbing Itachi by his wrist. He knew he had finally caught Itachi off-guard, and he yanked the elder off of his back and swung him over so that Itachi landed with a thud and a slight gasp with his own back against the floor. The younger sibling was sure to take advantage of this, and move in for the kill, so without wasting a single second Sasuke jumped from the ground, and straddled his brothers chest, pinning Itachi's hands down above his head. The younger male panted from the effort, and stared down with glistening, fiery red eyes, glaring, and threatening his brother if he didn't admit defeat at this very moment, but Itachi challenged that bitter rage, trying to raise himself, trying to throw Sasuke off, and he found himself slammed back down against the ground that much harder because of it. And strangely enough, once Itachi recovered from the surprise of being put on his back and pinned down in such a flash.. He smiled. He smiled a tainted sort of smile, and stared up with glittering rubies beneath dark lashes. "..Much better, Sasuke.."

Despite the younger males embarrassing position and overall situation, he decided it was probably best to stay on top of his brother with his arms held firmly, just in case Itachi tried to pull something sneaky- He only had to stay up here long enough to get his answers. But he couldn't help the blush that burned across his pale cheeks as he watched his brother; His brother who was dressed in that warmly colored haori that fell open, and pooled around him most elegantly, and who had his hair loose, letting it flow out across the floor in every direction, shining like obsidian silk, and those ruby red eyes, burning deep and passionate red, and glittering beneath doll-like lashes. Those very eyes now flickered down a bit more stealthily this time, being lidded for a moment, then opening up just barely to glance down at Sasuke's smooth pale legs wrapped around the pinned male's sides, and slowly they headed up again, following that porcelain trail of lean, and toned thigh, straight up to look at the uncovered flesh that the younger male hid most of the time. He was still soft, but even then the girth of his flaccid organ was impressive; One could imagine how large it would be when Sasuke was aroused. And Itachi even took a moment to observe the sensation of those two smooth jewels pressed into the dip in his flesh where his sternum ended, and his ribs didn't quite draw together, as well as the younger male's pert buttocks against his abdomen. He did all this, and Sasuke could tell he was doing it, but despite all that he remained astride the elder; Let him relish the skin-on-skin contact all he wanted, because this was the most he would ever receive from Sasuke.

"..My answers, if you will.." Sasuke's voice came out sounding growled, though he was relatively calm. What was bothersome was that Itachi was more relaxed laying in complete submission than Sasuke was sitting on top of him in total control.

Itachi's deadly sharingan flickered off to the side, darting around that area of the room a bit as he thought back to earlier that evening- He was having a bit of trouble completely recalling what all had been asked in Sasuke's rush of thoughtless verbiage. Sasuke himself probably didn't fully recall- He just felt the need to announce his victory this way, since it was relatively simple.

"...I couldn't see the future with my eyes, Sasuke.. That is why things ended up like this.. People would say the things I did were _sadistic_.. And though I had reasons for my actions, it was all, truly, very... _Masochistic_. I didn't know what would happen, but.. I never imagined myself having a very bright future.. I never saw myself being able to live peacefully again. I never saw myself being in your company as long as I have been now... So I suppose, from my perspective.. Things could be worse... Why did I join the Akatsuki- Simply put, because I believe in what it stands for. I killed the clan because it was my initiation, the final test of my strength, and I did it quite happily, because I despised every single one of them, save for you, Sasuke, and perhaps the rest of the clan children, since I have no reason to have a grudge against them... Still, I saved them from a wretched life, and delivered them all painlessly to a pleasant afterlife... I left you in Konoha because you were safe there, and because I didn't believe you could grow strong huddled at my side as you could have far from my presence, thinking always of me, and holding me in contempt... I got us into this, because I thought it was necessary... You were never enough for our parents and relatives because none of them wanted you for you, and none of them judged you fairly... You weren't enough for me because... You were too much for me, Sasuke... I turned my back on you to make it easier for you to stab me in it, just as I did to you, and... The thought of my death is so much like the thought of your own, because, in the end, I'm all you have, and all you have ever allowed yourself to have... I'm the very thing that gives your life purpose, and without me you believe you have none, and may as well be dead yourself.."

Sasuke stared down in silence, looking utterly aghast, and Itachi just allowed his eyes to drift off as his expression shifted into his usual mask of apathy. Obviously, the cat had gotten Sasuke's tongue, and Itachi took a deep breath, then let it back out, getting his breathing back to normal again after his long string of words, just so he could speak out again in the silence. "That was everything, wasn't it Sasuke..? I didn't miss anything, I hope.."

The elder's questioning was empty, just something to say in order to hurry along Sasuke's own response. He was fairly certain he had recalled every little question Sasuke had asked in his moment of desperate rambling, and answered them.

"..Funny how a few words can cause you to forget how ill I've treated you all night.."

"..Tch.. Hardly.." Sasuke's voice snapped back, quickly but very quietly. It was obvious his brother's confessions had sank in very deeply, but had it truly penetrated the armored innards of Sasuke's darkened soul? "Listen to the way you justify all your sins... It's all rubbish. Everything you've ever done was fucking sick, and you know it... You're nothing but a twisted hypocrite.. You hated the clan because they made you suffer in order to make you strong, and yet you say you did the same thing to me... You're no better than any of them. You left me all alone to grieve and live my life in constant pain, because you merely thought it was _necessary_.. And I absolutely love how you know what all is right and wrong, and necessary and unnecessary, Itachi.."

Sasuke's face twisted in a mix of rage and crippling sadness- Itachi was right about one thing, though. The elder deserved to die, but he would drag Sasuke down with him, and the younger deserved it just as much. He leaned down, getting his face dangerously close to his elder brother's, and he glared. "You never wanted to be a shinobi... And really, neither did I... All I really ever wanted was praise, and to be like you, and to be loved by you because, Aniki, I_ loved_ you _so very much_... But you took it all away. You were selfish, and no matter what you say, I know better than that.."

Itachi's shoulder moved in something of a shrug, and his face was still emotionless. "It does not matter if you believe the answers I give you... I tell them to you because they are my truth... They are not intended to weaken your hatred, merely to enlighten you so that you can fully understand... It was something you longed for when you were a child after all, and you came so close, and yet... It wasn't enough. You could have been my undoing, but you allowed your attachment to me to blind your judgement, and in the end you may as well blame yourself for the death of the clan just as much as you blame me... Perhaps you were just as selfish as I had been.. And you still are, aren't you?"

Sasuke's face wrinkled into a snarling mask, and he glared, utterly insulted, though Itachi's words were more bothersome because he partially believed them. Without a thought he let his hand ball up and be drawn back, just to be slammed against his elder brother's pretty face, busting his pale pink lower lip open, and coating it in a thin trail of crimson blood flow. He let his fist hover, as if he dared Itachi to move now that his wrist was free. The elder just laid there with his head turned to the side, and for a moment he seemed to be vacantly feeling the warm blood pool against his lip, and slide down his chin. After a moment, though, he spoke up. "..shh... Sasuke, don't fret... This is all old to you, really... None of the pain is new, and none of the wounds are fresh.."

Sasuke relaxed his fisted hand, and brought it up, wrapping his fingers around the tender flesh of his older brother's neck. "..I'll kill you... I'll kill you right now.."

This threat only brought a smirk to the surface from the pinned down Uchiha. His voice was a purr as he spoke, though the tone was vile, something unreadable, and unheard before tonight. "..And while I'd love to explore the possibilities in those words, and allow you to explain to me your most favored method in ending my life before giving me the full demonstration of it... You know better than to think you could kill me now... Because... There are still things you do not know.."

The younger Uchiha tightened his grip just a bit, just enough to slowly mar the pale, and tender flesh of his elder brother's delicate neck with grayish purple bruises in the shape of Sasuke's fingers- He could still feel Itachi breathing comfortably beneath his blood-lusting fingers, the air calmly passing in and out of his windpipe; He was so goddamn confident, or else.. So trusting. Perhaps too willing to allow Sasuke to have his way, should he ignore the poisonous words that leaked from behind Itachi's blood coated lips. With a weakened sigh Sasuke sat up straight again, regretfully forced to remove his hand, and to allow his brother to go on wasting oxygen by breathing, and living his pointless, pathetic life. He was right- If there was something deep and hidden that he could hang over Sasuke's head, then all Sasuke could do was beg like a circus tiger; Like a beast that holds the ability to peel skin from muscle, and flesh from bones, but is tamed by the life-giving hand of a human trainer. This was so disheartening, losing again and again and again. How long before Itachi beat down his very last moments of strength and lured him completely into total weakness? How long could Sasuke go on playing this game, pitting his will and physical and emotional strength against his brother's? How long before Itachi broke him down?

The little sibling pulled his hand back, removing it from Itachi's wrist, though the elder remained still, keeping his arms up above his head as if he had no need to move at all. Sasuke's right hand got as far as Itachi's shoulder before he clenched his fist, digging his fingernails into the older males creamy skin, and his body tensed- It was a fit of frustration really, and he hung his head in defeat. He barely noticed the way Itachi jolted slightly from the feel of the younger boy's nails biting into his skin. "..Itachi..."

"..I... hate you..." Sasuke spoke unconscious words in his anger, barely able to even form them from behind his bared teeth. His grip on his brother's shoulder tightened until he could feel his fingernails making little crescent shaped cuts in Itachi's skin, their blood mingling as the elder's sprang from beneath the skin, and Sasuke's own slid down his fingertips from where his nails began to pull out from the quick because of the pressure being put against them. He could hear his brother's breath hitch slightly, and finally Itachi's hand moved from its dormancy, slowly snaking its way toward the younger boy, moving in such a way, it went unnoticed until those cool fingertips brushed up against Sasuke's thigh, and halted, being laid there, unmoving. The younger Uchiha fidgeted at the feel of Itachi touching him, and crimson eyes flickered down to watch those dainty fingers. Itachi didn't push it; He was sure to leave his hand just above his younger brother's knee, and he didn't let it wander any further, lest Sasuke swat him away. After Sasuke looked away, however, the elder moved his fingers in tiny, soft circles, caressing, massaging, calming.

"..Relax, Sasuke.. You've waited for years to end my life.. A few more days won't kill you.."

The brother in control relaxed his grip on the pinned one's shoulder, letting his body follow suit, and go slack, though he remained upright. He was shaking his head softly now, those ebony bangs brushing back and forth against his forehead- The reason behind this was most obscured; He seemed to be denying some thought that occurred to him in response to his brother's words, but it slipped away just as quickly in his surge of concentration. He pulled his fingers back, and slipped the tip of the first one into his mouth, sucking the blood away from his wound, though he could taste his brother's plasma intermingling.

Itachi made the smallest purr of a noise, watching with keen interest as Sasuke did this simplistic action, but the younger didn't really notice, or think of his elder's sound-making as significant enough to be given attention. Words, though, were a different story, and Itachi spoke up as Sasuke pulled his finger out of his mouth. "You hate me.. But I'm.. Suspicious of you, little brother.." He moved a bit as he paused, squirming just slightly as if he were growing uncomfortable pressed to the hard floor beneath another body. Sasuke could tell this was the reason Itachi was writhing now, though the elder didn't at all attempt to free himself yet. The younger boy smiled, relishing his elder's pain, and he drew his foot up and pressed it against Itachi's chest, pushing his big toe down against the elder's wound. Itachi just narrowed his eyes, showing no other reaction to the pain he was surely feeling other than that tiny squint.

"...I have reasons... I think there is something other than hatred there.. Something, though you probably wouldn't admit it so openly.."

Sasuke rolled his eyes, listening to his brother's monotone words, rambling on without much point, or even a clear subject. Sasuke hated it when Itachi did that- He always had mouthed off about things, but he spoke in such a way, he disguised the meaning to what he said. "What nonsense are you going on about, Itachi?"

"..I myself could not deny I feel the exact same thing... But I was surprised to slowly discover you may have allowed yourself to slip along the same forbidden trail.."

Sasuke pressed harder against his brother's gashed chest, sure that if he got any more rough then he may have reopened the wound. At least this time he was able to snicker, because Itachi actually allowed the smallest pained moan escape his lips- Or Sasuke assumed he was reacting to the pain the younger was trying to inflict. The second-born Uchiha was distracted now, too amused by Itachi's suffering, especially as the older brother squirmed again, seeming to press his body up a bit more now, as if he were hinting that he quite possibly wished for Sasuke to move now- The younger didn't notice his brother's hand slinking up against his thigh because of the motion. "I don't know what the hell you're talking about.."

"You do... You just haven't realized that I see through you.. And I think you want something more.. You just won't admit to it, because you think.. You think you should keep it hidden inside, hidden from me, though I've figured it out.. And I wanted to tell you.. Or at least ask, just to see if you would deny yourself or not.."

Sasuke pulled his foot away from his brother's chest, and curled his leg back around to a comfortable position as he stared down at Itachi in aggravation. "What the hell is it, then?"

Itachi moved again, shifting, though he stared intently upward all the while, and again he inched his hand upward, dragging his violet-polished nails gently along Sasuke's porcelain flesh- This time Sasuke noticed, and his eyes flickered down to look at Itachi's hand; The elder smiled an near-undetectable weasel smile. "You like this feeling, don't you... That's why you've gotten so comfortable all of a sudden, right?"

Sasuke just stared down, not yet catching completely on, though he didn't know either if he wanted to. Itachi saw his clueless look all to well- It reminded him of that innocent child Sasuke used to be; He was still too innocent, he needed to be tainted.

"Me.. Beneath you.. In submission.. Under your control.. Overpowered... You like that feeling, don't you, little brother?"

Sasuke's eyes widened, and he gasped as he finally realized what his brother was suggesting; It had left him with such a sinking feeling because he was guilty of thinking just as Itachi was right now- Sasuke had gotten off at the thought of having sex with this most forbidden partner- His older brother. He was caught, wasn't he? No, no, no, he didn't have to give Itachi a single inch..(Bad choice of wording..). He could still deny this, or else... Anything further. He glared, unsure of what else to do, and he balled his fist again, moving to deliver another swift punch to Itachi's face, a warning.

It was he who was getting a warning, now, however, because just as he thought he was going to be allowed to deliver blow after blow to his brother without resistance, Itachi caught him by surprise, and more than that; He caught him by the wrist, stopping the punch just before it could connect, and he was smirking in a disturbingly malicious sort of way. "Yes.. You like being able to hit me whenever you please... You practically _get off _on my pain, and that is why you wish to cause it over and over again... But I can only allow you to hit me in the face so many times, dearest one.."

He pulled Sasuke down by his arm, forcing him lower until the younger boys face was only inches away from his own, and Itachi pushed himself upward, pressing his smirking lips against his younger siblings, and he rubbed them back and forth gently. Itachi touched Sasuke just enough to smear the blood from his own lips onto the pale ones belonging to his younger sibling, and after that tiny bit of contact he laid his head back against the ground, speaking in a maniacal tone. "You like the taste of my blood, don't you Sasuke..? You like the taste of me, and you want more of it."

This time Itachi must not have truly wanted an answer to his question, because he didn't allow Sasuke time to put together a response; No, now, for whatever reason he decided to squeeze the delicate joint he held between his dainty, but very dangerous fingers.

"..Nnn, Itachi!" Sasuke moaned out his pain, pleading for his brother to lessen his grip, lest he snap the fragile bones. That plea was answered with the slightest mercy, and Itachi did indeed loosen up his squeezing, but to replace the discomfort of pain, he moved to plain embarrassing discomfort- The discomfort that came with possibly having to fess up to a most dark secret. The elder arched himself upward, pressing his chest against the hips that were situated just on top of him.

"..Nnnna-Stop that!"

"..But I just can't get enough of that sound you're making, Sasuke..." Itachi purred out his partially alcohol laden words. "Well, what was your answer?" He may have been beneath his brother, but it was clear Itachi had gained control of the situation- Never before in his life had his lips tugged themselves into a smirk that lasted so very long, but how could he help it, this was utterly priceless. He only continued to elevate his brother's horror-struck nervousness by caressing his fingers steadily up and down against Sasuke's thigh, leaving gooseflesh everywhere he touched him.

"..I'll tell you..if... I can plunge my kunai into your chest immediately following.."

And at last Sasuke figured how to work his little death threats into the innocent game which had turned much less than innocent; It caused Itachi to drop his hand away, and allow his red stare to cut itself off- He closed his eyes, and shook his head, looking almost.. Disappointed. "...Sasuke..."

"...Sasuke..."

"...Sasuke..."

"...Sasuke...You know that isn't what you want... That isn't what you need right now... I had hoped to satiate our obvious appetites before I showed you... But your giving me little choice... You really are a stubborn sort."

Sasuke narrowed his own ruby red eyes, and stared down at his brother, becoming very fed up with the way he kept wording his way around total understanding. "I've given you little choice about what?"

"...Hadn't you rather..." Itachi turned his head, biting down on his lip for a moment as he did so, looking utterly hesitant to let his words roll out of his mouth. He was searching for a plan-B, but quickly he realized there was none. "...Hadn't you rather...Let me show you what those dreams you have are about?"

Itachi was a confident sort- He had been all his life, but Sasuke was just now wondering, was it because Itachi lived his life with an ace always hidden in his sleeve, and a knife situated just behind his back? The elder always had some sort of backup before he went into a dangerous situation, and that was why Sasuke had allowed a look of complete and total shock to appear on his face numerous times before this very moment, and now it had returned- At this point it probably would be there permanently, because this was the cherry on top of the sundae. Sasuke had drank sake with his brother, fought him in the nude, found out they were mutually sexually attracted to one another, and now he was finding out that Itachi had known all along about the dreams he was having.

"..You... You know about the d-dreams..?" Sasuke couldn't help the way his response had come out- The stuttering was unavoidable now because the younger boy felt as if he had lightning rushing through his veins; shocking. And Itachi himself was only pleasantly amused by this- He stared up with a soft smile across his lips, and patted Sasuke on the knee as if he were a bewildered child. That look melted away so quickly, however, it was almost as if it had never been there at all, and for whatever reason- That worried the younger brother more than anything. Before Itachi spoke up in response, he allowed himself to shift back to near-complete apathy, though there was a melancholy look about him. He didn't want to tell Sasuke whatever he knew, and that much was obvious- More than the information itself, Sasuke wondered why Itachi was feeling so reluctant.

"..Yes.. I know about them.."

Itachi turned his head, and looked off to the side, toward the window, most likely trying to catch sight of the moon as he allowed his thoughts to drift away from the moment. Now Sasuke was hesitating- He gulped, unsure if he even wanted to know what it was his brother knew, seeing the effect it had on the elder. But the younger sibling knew he could not live with the thought of there being knowledge that escaped him, if it concerned Itachi, at least. He sighed, looking off toward the window as well; He found it very unsettling also, to allow himself to be taken into his brother's sharingan. How could he just open up, and let Itachi inside his mind? He would be putting his life in the hands of a murderer, and that was not a very comforting thought. Still, he had no choice, and so he looked back down toward his elder brother as he spoke in resignation. "..Show me.."

Itachi's eyes flickered back up as he slowly turned his face toward Sasuke, but he blinked, allowing a questioning look to slide across his countenance- He looked so much as if he didn't understand something, as if he was confused. It quickly dawned on Sasuke that Itachi had so expected the younger to realize how terrible his eyesight had gotten, and lower himself so that their eyes could connect easier. Itachi spoke up before Sasuke could obey his own discoveries, however- Not that Sasuke liked the thought of this either.

"...Come closer, Sasuke..." The elder requested the compliance of the younger in the softest manner- He was being so docile it was almost frightening. That was the only reason that Sasuke allowed himself to grow nearer to his brother, though he made his unease clear in the way his expression turned into a most grumpy pout of sorts. The first-born was obviously very content with the close proximity, because he seemed to relax as Sasuke hovered with only a few inches separating them.

Those long black lashes fluttered against Itachi's pale cheeks as he shut his eyes, only to slowly open them back, revealing twisting black pupils, rippling together in growth until they spurted sharply across the vibrant, glowing red- Mangekyou sharingan. And Sasuke stared right down into it, allowing himself to be engulfed, and consumed by it. Eye to eye, mind to mind, Sasuke was completely, and totally vulnerable, and at Itachi's mercy- Sasuke didn't trust his brother, and yet.. He had to.

_The teen was taken so very far back, to a time when he remembered what it was like to love and admire somebody in complete innocence- To a time before bloodshed, and nightmares, and hatred, and waking up night after night soaked in sweat, and longing for release, longing for the most forbidden person in all the world._

_Everything was drenched in red and black, outlined in moonlit silver as time ticked steadily backwards, rewinding as it played out in the minds of Sasuke and of Itachi- Itachi was here to fill in Sasuke's gaps._

_That night Sasuke knew he couldn't keep himself from it anymore, he needed to speak with his brother. Not of anything specific, but he just wanted to talk, and be there with him, lest this foolish, and selfish banishment to loneliness eat away at him until there was nothing left._

_It was storming again, and for the young boy that was a good enough excuse for him to rise from his own bed, and sneak down the hall to Itachi's dwelling and try to gain open residence in there with him; Itachi would share his space, it was almost a guarantee._

_When Sasuke slid open the door Itachi was laying on his bed with his back facing the intruder. It was darker than usual because of the storming just outside, but Sasuke didn't see Itachi move in reaction to his door being opened. This meant he had to have been awake, because otherwise the sound of the door would have roused him, and he would have looked up. No, he had to be awake now, because he had heard Sasuke come from his room, his tiny foot-falls coming down the hall, only to end inevitably here in the open doorway. Itachi knew exactly who was here, he was just pretending not to take notice._

_Sasuke didn't wait for further permission, he really was getting brave, and he just walked through the door, and into the room, and fearlessly he continued until he was at Itachi's bedside, at which point he spoke, because Itachi still hadn't moved. His stillness was somewhat frightening, so Sasuke had to force him to get up. "..Nii-san.."_

"_What do you want?" The reply was delayed, but it came nonetheless. The elder's voice was cold and unfeeling, but Sasuke had long gotten used to this manner. His response was fearless; Perhaps that was pleasant to Itachi. "We never finished our game. I wanted to ask one final thing of you."_

_At last Itachi stirred, moving to lift himself to an upright position, and he looked down at his tiny brother standing just at the side of his bed. He watched, looking as if he were considering his options, though for some strange reason his eyes were glittering red as they looked down. He sighed, then moved from this position yet again, just enough so that he could place a kunai that had been held in his grasp over on the table next to his bed. Sasuke started to say something about it, but Itachi cut in too quickly._

"_Your final thing... What is it?" Itachi was sinking into that world where he was sounding much less than human again. He sounded as troubled as he did the night Shisui had committed suicide; Which served to remind Sasuke, maybe something had passed between them that night? Something that pushed Shisui over the edge. Despite these thoughts, Sasuke spoke up, his innocent little voice imploring. "I wanted to sleep in your bed, with you."_

_Itachi's response was relatively quick, and his tone struck a curious sort of note. "Does this mean your done hating me?"_

_Sasuke just looked up, his eyes somewhat sorrowful, and he shook his head softly. "I have never hated you, Nii-san." These words struck Itachi as strange, or so Sasuke could judge from his reaction. He turned his head, tilting it slightly to the side, his eyes narrowing in contemplation before a soft whisper escaped his lips. It was so quiet that Sasuke wondered if Itachi had even meant to say it, or if maybe he had just somehow tapped right into Itachi's very thoughts. "You will, Otouto."_

_The little boy didn't even want to say anything in return. Those words bothered him; It bothered him that Itachi was in such a dark place right now. He really did need to be brought back into the light. _

_Sasuke crawled up onto Itachi's bed as the covers were moved back for him, welcoming him, and for a while they sat in silence, such as they had earlier when they met near the river. What was on Itachi's mind? Sasuke wished he could just ask, and expect an answer in return._

_As the lightning flashed outside the bedroom window the smaller of the duo cringed, taking advantage of this fact so that it made it acceptable for him to scoot closer, and tuck himself just under Itachi's arm, and huddle closely at his side. "It seems like it is always storming." _

_The younger boy was seeking protection and reassurance where there was none. He would starve for it. Still, Itachi shrugged a bit, his eyes burning crimson, and focused on one single point. "It will be clear tomorrow night... Everything will be clear."_

_Itachi's voice was so foreboding, and just beneath that Sasuke picked up that tone, the tone that Itachi only used when he was envisioning greater meaning for such simple statements. Every time he did this Sasuke had to cut out that tiny piece of language, and save it in the back of his mind so that he could search for what was hidden beneath the surface. It made him shiver, though, but at least the movement seemed to fully awaken the young teen who had never been asleep in the first place, but rather, he had been in some horrific sort of trance. He looked down at his brother snuggled up to him, his eyes finally fading back to their usual color, and Sasuke relaxed just a bit more. His brother's red eyes frightened him; Itachi wasn't like himself when he had those blood-red jewels activated, he was different somehow._

"_You can only stay here, Sasuke..." Itachi began a sentence, though he paused midstream. Sasuke doubted he was rethinking anything he had been about to say, but it did look a good bit like it. "..If you'll let me use the sharingan to hypnotize you, and put you immediately to sleep.."_

_And just when Sasuke thought he had seen the last of those ruby eyes for the night, now Itachi wanted to use them on his own little brother. Sasuke was understandably nervous; He had never had a sharingan actually used on him, and the thought of it made him feel a bit uneasy. He curled himself a bit, his dark, childish eyes hidden beneath his ebony bangs. Reluctantly, he nodded, agreeing._

_Itachi shifted then, moving himself into a different position, and then he wrapped his arms around the smaller boy, moving him as he saw fit as well. Sasuke just allowed it; The feel of his brother handling him like the most delicate doll was something of a comfort anyway. He watched Itachi's blank expression as he was laid down just in front of him, his head rested gently on his brother's lap. Innocent coal-black pools looked up at Itachi, reflecting how very unsure the boy they belong to actually happened to be. "Will it hurt..?"_

_Itachi paused, thoughtful, before he let a smile tug gently at his lips. "No... It won't.. Don't worry... I've done it to myself before.." That little piece of information, Sasuke could tell, it was one of those shards Itachi usually kept for himself; That was why Sasuke was so eager to reach out, and snatch it up. _

"_You have?" The young boy's voice was curious, though his uneasiness was still very apparent, even as Itachi just gave him a little nod. Sasuke questioned this yet again, quite simplistically. "How?" And Itachi gave him a simple response to what had been a simple question. "Using a mirror."_

_Sasuke nodded, his eyes flickering away from his brother, and off to the side. He wasn't thinking, he was just feeling a bit of pressure in this position. When at last he looked back up at Itachi he was met with those softly beaming crimson orbs; His brother must have been waiting, his words as he spoke up proved that theory. "Your ready then, Sasuke?" The little boy nodded through his jitters, and looked up into his brother's glittering rubies, his cheeks flushing slightly as Itachi leaned down closer to him._

"_Just concentrate on looking into my eyes."_

_Sasuke did as he was told, though this time Itachi was the one who delayed the process as he affectionately brushed Sasuke's bangs back from his forehead, and leaned close enough to press the softest kiss there. He sighed, now seeming unsure of something, though Sasuke would never know how deeply that hesitance ran. The young boy was looking too deeply into brilliant red eyes, and they put him under far too quick and easy. Not quite before Sasuke was able to grasp at one more last sharp piece of crystal clear glass that Itachi pried from deep inside himself, something so deeply embedded that it was still coated in blood as he handed it over._

"_I love you, Sasuke."_

_Sasuke couldn't say anything, because he succumbed to that fatal sharingan just after he heard his brother's words, his eyes fluttering closed, looking more willing to dream than the boy probably really was. If this had been a game of cat and mouse, then he would have just fallen; Unsuspecting prey to a deranged and depraved predator._

_And that was where the flashback ended, and the nightmare began, melded and meshed together so that they flowed perfectly in sequence- This was because Sasuke had just realized the worst part of this, it all was true. The inescapable nightmare was reflected remembrance, hidden memories, just trying to make themselves known._

_The elder stared for a very long time at the tiny head laying in his lap, turned just a bit so that his onyx bangs all flowed to the side across his pale forehead. His eyelids had fluttered shut, relaxed in semi-sleep, letting those fans of black lashes lay like butterflies wings against porcelain cheeks. The tiny boy's lips were parted just slightly, though his steady breaths moved slowly in and out through his little button nose._

_One could look at Sasuke, and never guess what twisted thing the elder who held him now was considering; Nobody would assume the one he trusted most dearly would betray him now so heavily, dropping so low as to use him while he was vulnerable._

_Itachi finally moved again, the silvery flashes outside the window streaking over him, reflecting off the mirror-like shine of his obsidian locks, and his creamy, light colored flesh. He was shifting, moving his little brother as if Sasuke were a plaything, like a doll of sorts, and for a moment he held his unconscious sibling close to himself, seemingly hoarding him in an almost affectionate manner, in a way a mother would hold her own child in the face of grave danger. He would have never allowed anybody to pay witness to such a spectacle- Uchiha Itachi, overwhelmed by emotion, and regretful desire._

_The older male was breathing the scent of the younger in as deeply as he could, letting it wash over him and bring him a sort of momentary peace, though the serenity was broken in a flash by the little reminder- Itachi was going to do something that would make even him feel disgusting and despicable, but he could not stop himself, no matter how hard he was fighting inside himself._

_He lowered Sasuke to the soft surface of the bed, and in a rush the emotion was gone from Itachi's face, and like the eyes of a hawk his gleaming sharingan stared down at the small boy._

"_..Sasuke.."_

"_...Sasuke.."_

"_...Sasuke.."_

_Itachi's voice was whispered, echoing in all its deep resonance, but still very soft in its calling- If he had been the pied piper, then his voice would have been just as good as a flute in summoning the helpless mouse, even though he barely uttered a sound. It was enough, because slowly the wide coal-black eyes of the smaller boy flickered to life, in attention, in a way, and yet, not. He was still under the spell of the elder's sharingan, but the hypnosis had been recalled at the last moment, leaving Sasuke just a bit awake still, though only enough to respond._

_It was the intention of the older Uchiha to keep it so that Sasuke could feel and hear and see everything, and yet he would not remember any of it- Or that was his intention, he hadn't exactly done this before. And regretfully there was some mysterious exhilaration in the thought of Sasuke one day coming to remember this event._

_The larger form sitting erect in the flashing light decided to experiment a bit, and with a tiny weasel smile curling the light pink of his lips, visible against the glowing white of his skin, he leaned down, laying next to his zombified sibling, and carefully he ran his fingers down the child's neck, and shoulder, and arm, stopping at the young boy's hand before he pulled his hand away. _

_Sasuke moved in a slight shiver at the contact, and it was enough to press this little game further, though in Itachi's mind he had wished he never saw that vague moment of movement from his brother- He wished Sasuke would just go to sleep now, and shut out this nightmare._

"_Can you hear me Otouto..?" It was hidden, but Itachi never wished to hear Sasuke's response, though the way his voice rang now- So soft, and yet far too demanding, even if Sasuke had been fully asleep, he would have roused at the sound._

_There was a slight pause as dark, vacant eyes blinked shut momentarily, then opened back just a bit, staring up so blindly it was yet again almost as if this tiny boy was sprawled dead on his elder brother's bed. Dead bodies didn't squirm, and make tiny little noises while doing so as he did, however, and they certainly didn't speak, though, if they did, their tones would have most likely resembled Sasuke's right now. _

_The boy's tiny voice came out monotone, mumbled, as he stared up at Itachi who was still looming over him, waiting for a response. "..Yes.. Nii-san.."_

_The elder brother smiled a twisted half-smile as he sat back up, and reached a single shaking hand out, pausing in hesitation, but not being able to restrain himself in the end. The gracefully deadly hand was slipped under the smaller boy's shirt and gently the larger male stroked the child's bare belly, biting down on his own lip all the while. He only took a breath, and pressed on as he thought of a good question to ask; His voice came out more frighteningly depraved than he would ever allow anybody to truly hear. "So... You can tell who this is, can you, Sasuke?"_

_The younger Uchiha squirmed a bit more, though this time it was in response to what would be perceived as innocent brotherly affection for now. He stretched himself out, arching his back, and raising himself to Itachi's touch, craving more of it. It was still, of course, the most innocent plea- Sasuke would only think this touch was warm, and endearing, and since it felt very good, he obviously urged his brother to continue. The elder knew this, but seeing his brother move in such a way in response to it, he had to pull his hand away momentarily, frightened himself of what he may allow himself to do. Once Sasuke spoke up, answering his question, though, it broke his will all over again. "Mmm... Yes... It's Nii-san."_

_Itachi gulped, taking a deep breath, and he stared down at his brother with eyes that glowed red in uncontrolled emotion. "Sasuke... I wish you hadn't asked to stay here..."_

_There was a pause, silence, and Itachi just kept up his petting, letting his brother cherish the affection, and the sweet sensation of it, though there were roots dug deeper into the darker regions of Itachi. He was contemplating as his fingers gently stroked his brother's tender belly; He could not remember having ever been so innocent and charmingly precious. Sasuke was so weak in his innocence, but the thought of this was blissful, a longing, something Itachi wanted to be part of, because it was something he had never felt himself, or else.. He did not recall._

_Desperately he wished he could remain in this moment forever; He wished Sasuke would stay as he was now for all eternity; So giving and willing to please for nothing in return, so full of the truest love, the greatest gift Itachi could ever hope to receive, and yet it was something that the world would slowly steal away from him, if he let it be._

_The peacefulness that absorbed the brothers now was not everlasting, sadly, this moment would perish in the river of time. The younger Uchiha would be ruined by passing time, and in time he would cease to be a comfort to his elder brother. Itachi didn't want to allow this process to slowly deteriorate his younger sibling; No, he wanted to steal away this innocence and keep it for himself, and forever be the person Sasuke followed after faithfully._

_Even if it was only to spill his blood; Itachi could accept this, though he wondered- Would this child ever stop loving him?_

_The elder brother broke away from his thoughts to make sure the gentle treatment hadn't lulled Sasuke to far back away from the hypnosis into true sleep. He tilted his head, curious, red eyes staring down at his little pet, his doll, his possession. "Do you like that, Sasuke?"_

_Sasuke practically purred at the gentle touch, and he nodded softly in his half-slumber, pressing himself against Itachi's hand again to re-establish this point. His voice was still very vacant, however, and possibly a bit more sleepy than it had been a moment ago. "...Feels good, Nii-san..."_

_Itachi smiled softly, though his expression was tainted, twisted. As gently, and carefully as he could manage, he removed Sasuke's shirt, exposing his ivory doll-flesh, the soft and breakable expanse, and Sasuke whined softly, though only because of the disturbance to his comfort, and because his treat of affection had been taken away for a moment. Itachi restored the smaller boys comfort by continuing to rub his belly, spoiling the child without him even being aware. The only response Itachi received was Sasuke's little mutterings and noises of gratitude. Itachi was both grateful, and wished that his brother would have slipped into full sleep so that he could stop himself now._

"_I'm just going to look...This is as far as it goes... I'm going to stop now.. I am going to stop now... I'm going to stop...I'm going to stop..." Itachi's eyes flickered red back down at the pale little boy laying just on top of his blankets. He wasn't going to stop- Not yet, he couldn't._

_It was easy to see those magnificent muscles ripple under Itachi's skin as his hand moved along his tiny brother's belly, then upward, over his shoulder, over his tender little neck, and up still until his hand was rested against the small boy's cheek, and Itachi laid over, propped on his elbow as his face hovered just above Sasuke's, and he stared down with eyes reflecting all the blood they had seen in their time. Lifeless little black stones still stared up at the man just above, and Itachi smiled as his fingers caressed the smaller boy's full cheeks, savoring the feel of the baby fat that still clung to the child' immature body. He was so soft, and silky to the touch._

_Itachi just stared for a while before he tilted his head, a curious look glinting, captured within those ruby reb optics, and he spoke softly to his baby brother, purring comfortingly, and pleading most lovingly all the same, though his intentions were sickening and twisted. "Sasuke... Would you like for me to kiss you again... Like I did the other night to prove you were special to me?"_

_There was a pause, and Sasuke blinked, his voice just as low, but more blank than his brothers. It was amusing how much of his logic filtered through, though he was unconscious. "Nii-san can kiss me... If Nii-san loves me."_

_The elder brother, red-eyed demon that he was, his lips twisted into a smile as he lapped up the sugary-sweetness that leaked from Sasuke's mouth. It was all very heart-warming, but even more enticing to Itachi because he was utterly vulnerable, and unable to stop himself from his demented desires. He had a deadly sweet tooth, and Sasuke's sugar-coated words led his elder brother right to the lips from which they had poured out. Itachi pressed his lips down against Sasuke's, delicate fingers pushing against the boy's chin so that the elder could gain further entrance to Sasuke's innocent little mouth, to that confused little tongue that moved against the elder's, not even aware what this slick sensation was._

_The small boy jerked a bit, but he was held still by the clasping hand on his chin, and in his bout of being so utterly and unconsciously unsure of what was going on, he made the tiniest little whine against his brother's lips. The larger form moaned softly in return before pulling his lips away from his captured prey, and he watched, looking so very pleased with himself as a sticky thread of saliva trailed from his lips to Sasuke's, then broke in the center. Itachi used a delicate thumb to wipe away the mess on his brother's reddened lips, and smiled a smile that was sickeningly brotherly as he watched Sasuke pant, and gasp for air. _

"_..nnn...Couldn't breathe.." Those were the soft, innocent little words that came out of the boy's mouth; A mouth that had just been tainted by Itachi's venomous tongue. The elder just smirked as his fingers stroked down along the small boy's belly again, only stopping when they hooked against the waistband of Sasuke's sleep pants. "Then... Let me breathe for you, Otouto.."_

_Itachi's lips locked against Sasuke's again, his tongue pushing deep into the boy's mouth, and he jerked Sasuke's pants right off, his hand grasping for what his evil heart desired most._

_The larger form drew back a bit quicker this time, red eyes gazing down; lovingly and yet tainted by something much darker. It was a desperate war between the good older brother and that crooked splinter buried inside his brain, something he was regretfully born with but it had only grown over time due to the way he had been turned from a child to a strong piece of metal, then he was sharpened constantly until he was razor sharp. Then to secure that approaching misfortune, his bladed edges were dipped in poison, and now there was nothing to do but wait for disaster. He could not fight the darker side of himself, because all his training had made it the dominant, more powerful persona. Still, the tender one fighting for his own say forced Itachi to pull his lips away from Sasuke's before he suffocated the boy._

_The tiny, delicate child just beneath the older brother panted softly, stony eyes gazing up without question, vacantly. A rare smile graced the lips of the elder, and for just a moment he allowed his lust to pause. This was his apology for what he was about to do, and everything he ever would do. Gently his lips brushed against his brother's soft little cheek, and deadly crimson orbs shut as he lingered in that innocent, affectionate kiss for a still and silent moment; He drew back after he felt satisfied with his gesture, but only the tiniest amount, and he stayed close to Sasuke as he muttered sincere words._

"_..I'm sorry, Otouto... I lied... I can't stop myself...Forgive me."_

_Larger, but delicate-looking hands finished the business of tugging off the last of Sasuke's clothes, and the elder shuddered in apprehended pleasure. Fingers traced over the smaller boys shin, and the tiny frame shivered beneath Itachi's fingers as his ghosting touch skirted over the young boys knee just enough for a subtle sensation to pulse through him. Sasuke muttered something inaudible, but the fragmented words were lost to the elder because he was concentrating very hard on how soft Sasuke's thigh felt as he finally allowed his entire palm to caress against his younger brother's skin._

_The sound that Sasuke let out as his brother's fingers curled tightly, and possessively around his unconsciously half hard flesh was stifled, and held back to a low level, because having seen the shriek coming before it was even let out, Itachi pushed his tongue roughly into the delicate boys mouth again, clenching his free hand into the small boy's soft black locks, and tugging him up closer. Sasuke fought against this for a moment, again unsure at what was going on, and what was touching him in a private area. The elder wisely waited until his siblings noises were choked back before he broke the kiss again, and he stroked softly and slowly at the small member in his grasp, soothing his brother with pleasure that was unknown to him._

"_..shhh...Sasuke...Don't wake everybody... You wouldn't want your Nii-san to get caught doing this to you.."_

_The innocent boy squirmed, but lifted his hips against his own will, unsure, and yet his body was already begging for more of this foreign sensation. His bell-like voice came out softly, and vacant as he searched for answers from the only one present. "Mmm...N-Nii-san... I don't think... That you are supposed to touch me...unn...like this.."_

_Itachi laughed softly, malicious, and yet amused all the same. "Perhaps not... But there is no real reason not to... It feels too good to stop, am I right?" He questioned the innocent in his grasp, his lips curling even more sinisterly as he stroked his young brother with a bit less restraint. Itachi would get what he wanted out of Sasuke, and he knew exactly how he could do it without fail._

_This small child bit his lip to stifle the noises he wanted to let out, but his brother had asked him most politely to keep it down- Itachi had asked him to keep quiet, and though his mostly unconscious form was pulsing with fear, he would obey. Now, if only the rest of the hypnotized child's body would respond to him, he would be doing swell now. He couldn't help it though, he felt Itachi's fingers, touching him, stroking him... It felt good, and yet.. There was something terribly wrong here.. Despite that Sasuke's hips bucked forward, not like a child, but more resembling a sex-crazed little whore._

_The flesh would not allow itself to be denied would it? The fragile child jerked his head to one side, whining softly under his breath, groaning, and jerking his head back to the other side, back and forth, and back and forth as he gasped, and muttered tiny inaudible things. When at last all the squirming ended, Sasuke was left breathless, panting, and he had situated himself that his hips were lifted, and held in place, pushing up to the skillful hand that was causing him to feel so many many things... Causing him to feel nervous, and afraid, and ashamed, and confused... But above all else, it was making him feel amazing, and he was giving in._

_Itachi's eyes glinted fiery crimson regrets- But he could at least justify this somewhat, right? Sasuke could have told him no. Sasuke could ask him to stop, but he didn't do it. That made it half-okay, right? He shook his head, though his eyes never flickered away from the arched, needy adolescent laying on his bed. The lust was there just as heavy for the elder, coating him so thickly it practically dripped its vile aura, and created puddles all around._

"_...Do you like this, Sasuke..? ...You like it when Aniki touches you..? You like the way this feels, don't you..?" This was one of those rare times which Itachi's voice sounded very unusual. It was just a bit shaky, and purred so low it sounded as if this act was making Itachi himself sick at his stomach. It was that little piece of him that wanted to stop, needed to stop, had to stop, must stop now... stop, stop, stop, stop..._

"_...Unn...N-Nii-san..ah..." Sasuke spoke up, but just barely- He hardly could form a legitimate sentence. He was to busy attempting to arch his back further than it was meant to be, and trying to push himself up further, silently pleading for more friction, more of his older brother's touch. "...D-Don't... un... D-Don't.."_

"_..What, Sasuke..? Tell me now."_

"_...unnn.." There was something rising up in the tiny boy's belly, like a small, alien life form uncurling itself, and squirming, looking for an escape. It was a strange sensation, and Sasuke found himself holding his breath, unable to say a word as his lower region tingled with a foreign heat. It was making the muscles all up his curved back, and down his porcelain legs to quiver, so much so that even his curled little toes twitched._

"_..D-Don't...sssS-stop... D-Don't stop...ahh-N-Nii-Ssan."_

_The elder smirked, hardly believing what he was hearing- God, he felt dizzy. His younger brother, this innocent little child, was actually begging him to continue. Itachi couldn't help but moan a bit himself as he stroked his little brother faster, mercilessly jerking his stiffened flesh, sending wave after wave of sheer pleasure through him right up until the moment that Sasuke began to breath in rapid, but short pants, and he let out a stifled little cry as he unconsciously coated his older brother's delicate fingers in pearly fluid._

_And as Sasuke went limp, breathing long deep breaths, Itachi's breathing got hitched in the back of his throat, and those fiery sharingan eyes glowed with total lust. He bit his lip, feeling his entire frame begin to shake all over, and he tore off his clothes, feeling as though his skin would combust if he refused to discard his covering. He had to bare himself, now, quickly, immediately, he had to, he had to, God he needed to..._

_..He needed to fuck Sasuke, he had to fuck him... He couldn't contain himself._

_His shirt, and pants met the floor in rapid succession, followed just as quickly by the his under garments. He barely even had the time to touch himself, to allow his warm, slick fingertips to stroke up and down, up and down over his own needy sex, to feel his own brothers fluid sliding wetly against his rigid flesh._

_Itachi threw himself down on top of Sasuke, hovering his weight still so that the boy was comfortable beneath him, and in a feral rush he pulled the little boy's legs apart, tugging his small hips up so that the tip of the older brother's tool pushed against the younger boy's puckered entrance, but that was were he paused, his nails wishing to cut into the soft skin of Sasuke's thighs as his fingers clenched, and contorted from the denial of stimulus._

"_..No...You can't do this.." Itachi's voice was a whisper, and he was speaking to himself again, his logic and reason finally catching up to that insane lusting side of him, and wrapping it in an iron grip, subduing it.. For the moment. "..You can't do it... This will hurt him... You could really harm him, and on top of that... Once he wakes up, he will feel it.. He will be sore, and he will question it.. He will be afraid, and he will try to figure out why he is hurting... He might say something.. Somebody might find out.. You have to stop yourself, think about this, Itachi, think.."_

_He blinked, as if his sharingan eyes had gone blind in his mental flash, and in that moment he gasped softly, as though he himself had been awakened from a hypnosis. He was still trembling, but everything felt entirely too still as Sasuke's little arms wrapped around his neck softly, and pulled him down so that his forehead was laid against the little boy's shoulder. The unconscious child's mind had already erased everything that happened moments ago, and now he was coming close to being fully subdued, and slipping fully into the grip of sleep. Still, conceivable words slipped softly from behind his lips._

"_...I love you, Nii-san..."_

_Itachi slowly let Sasuke's legs slip from his grasp, and the boy was rested back against the comfortable surface of the older Uchiha's bed. The elder allowed himself to be held down for a moment by those fragile little arms wrapped gently around his neck, and though he should have let his own body slowly relax, and be calmed by his innocent brother's sleeping affections, he only delved deeper into frustrated madness. His hands fisted, gripping the blanket draped across the bed top. He bit down on his lip, tasting the coppery flavor of blood rise in tiny drops to the surface, and every muscle in his body tensed up in his silent fit. He still needed release, though, and his body would not allow him peace until he gave it what it so desperately wanted. It wasn't hard- He was already shivering from the added feel of his little brother's tiny fingers curling themselves in his long obsidian locks. He held back most of his moaning as he pumped himself away, releasing in his hand, and dripping his accursed seed between his dainty fingers, and down onto Sasuke's porcelain flesh._

_He still couldn't believe what he had almost done- He... He was about to fuck his little brother._

_In a sharp series of jerked movements Itachi jumped away from the tiny naked body laying sprawled over his sleeping area. He was trying to get away so quickly, he almost threw himself off the side of his bed. He halted right at the edge, though, eyes wildly gazing down at Sasuke, vulnerable little Sasuke, having almost been completely victimized, and used, and violated, like an object, like an animal, like to hollow shell without feeling... And Itachi had allowed himself to stop caring for a moment, and he almost.. He almost made a terrible mistake._

"_..I... I'm a monster... I'm a hypocrite... I... I don't deserve to live.." The true edge of panic was slipping through his veins now, taking effect, and twisting the Uchiha heir's nerves into a strained bundle. He crawled down from his bed, and perched himself on the floor, with his back leaned against the side of the mattress. Slowly he pulled his clothes back on, while he caught his breath, and beckoned the shinobi locked within to take the controls again, and make him... Unreadable... Calm... Himself. He sat there for a while, still, just collecting himself before he finally moved back up onto the bed, and re-dressed his younger sibling. Poor Sasuke had probably gotten cold, but Itachi had allowed that to slip his mind to..._

_He hated himself. He hated himself. He deserved to die... And nothing less than that._

_When at last the little boy was fully clothed, and tucked in comfortably, and the elder brother felt his own eyelids becoming heavy in need of sleep, he slid in next to Sasuke, though he didn't lay down immediately. He merely stared down at Sasuke, who was finally fully immersed in sleep. He heaved a sorrowful little sigh, and moved delicately to brush Sasuke's bangs away from his face._

"_...I hope I die with your hands around my neck, Sasuke..."_

_Itachi finally allowed himself to get comfortable, and sleep, though he didn't imagine the rest of his night being filled with peaceful dreaming. The storm was far from over, at this point._

The shroud of past images broke up, and melted away at last, and for a moment Sasuke felt dizzy, not yet comprehending what was going on, or fully pulling out of the hold of his brother's sharingan. It was difficult for his mind to recover from the strain of being exposed to mangekyou sharingan, and the revelations that came along with it.

Itachi laid calmly, still pinned beneath Sasuke as Sasuke 'came to', in a sense, though it was hard for the elder to even tell if the younger was yet free, because the same blank expression remained painted across the pale mask of Sasuke's face. The only sign of life was the slow shift to burning fury that occurred in the crimson depths of Sasuke's sharingan eyes. Yes, he had gotten the full view of what Itachi had shown him, and he was fully conscious now, and completely aware of the situation. He was probably just debating about what a 'proper' reaction would be at this very moment.

Bashing Itachi's face in sounded very appropriate.

Slowly Sasuke's brows knitted together, wrinkling the skin between them, and he remained silent for a long time, curling his fingers against Itachi's bare shoulder which had slipped from beneath his silken haori. It killed him how calmly his brother was looking up at him now, after what he had just shown him- After what Itachi was owning up to.

It killed Sasuke even more to know his brother had truly done something he himself thought was just an image pushed away to the darker regions of his mind that he only thought of while he was touching himself, while he was getting himself off, only to feel guilty over it later.

"...You did that..?" Sasuke finally spoke up, his voice soft but firm, and sounding mixed between questioning and merely stating the plain truth.

"...I tried to stop myself..."

The brother's stayed locked in a stare for another moment before Sasuke got up, wrapping his arms around his naked form as he searched the floor for every piece of his clothes. They were all left in a pile, and he was now quite ready to pull them back on, and cover himself. He spared a glance back at Itachi, who didn't move off the floor until the younger of the two was fully dressed again. Itachi didn't look up- He sat up, and pulled his delicate jacket back up to cover his creamy-pale skin.

"...Sasuke... My question... You didn't answer it.." Itachi spoke up, his voice sounding very... Hesitant. He held a tone that seemed to very obviously state his reluctance to push any heavy questions on Sasuke at the moment. It was obvious why as soon as his words met Sasuke's ears.

The younger of the two Uchiha jerked his head around, his eyes burning in a red glare, though he was otherwise, emotionless. "..No... I don't like the feel of you laying beneath me... You..twisted bastard."

The almost sightless red eyes of the elder brother flickered up momentarily, but soon stared at the floor again, locked there in.. Could it be, shame? Regret? Pain? Sasuke could savor that- It was Itachi's turn to suffer. He could suffer, and he could do it all alone with nobody but himself to blame, just so he could see how it felt. Sasuke walked toward the door, toward the exit, toward escape.

"...Sasuke-"

The younger sibling looked back as he heard his brother's voice. Itachi seemed so different from usual, it was..sickening. It was just too strange. Still, in this pause there was hope, a chance given, though it may have really just been manners on Sasuke's part. He was stopping to hear his brother out, even when Itachi didn't deserve it.

"...You can stay here."

Sasuke shook his head- He refused to stay in the same room or facility, or in any shape or form or fashion near his brother. Not because he had some little fear of being molested in his sleep, but rather he felt he needed to be alone, in order to collect himself. In order to sort things out inside his own head. "...No.."

"...Then meet me... For the last round." Itachi pulled another one of those small, delicate pieces of silvery paper out from an inner pocket in his jacket, and held it up, beckoning Sasuke to come, and take it from him. With a most graceful stride, Sasuke turned, and walked back over to his elder sibling, taking the sheet of thin paper from his hand, brushing his fingers against Itachi's own dainty ones for the slightest of moments. "Okay."

Sasuke headed toward the door again, making it just to the opening of the hallway before he heard Itachi's voice again, calling out, always seeming as if it is there to call him back, and stop him from walking away. "...Be careful, Sasuke... On your own."

Itachi was, of course, referring to the Akatsuki, and to Madara Uchiha, who undoubtably would probably be just as happy to get his hands on Sasuke as he would his own fallen apprentice. Sasuke overlooked that on purpose, and merely looked over his shoulder, retorting without even needing to think. "I've survived on my own all my life, _Aniki_... I think I can handle myself.."

And those words were the very last that passed between the brothers before Sasuke finally made it out the door in silence. He wouldn't give Itachi the comfort of his presence, he would allow him to suffer for tonight, though... He wondered... How much had Itachi already suffered prior to this? How much sorrow had the elder felt where everybody assumed he was devoid of emotion? How much had he kept hidden?

Sasuke felt himself becoming stretched far too thin, and he just knew, something was about to snap. Soon, something had to give. Something, or someone was just about to break.

* * *

We are young  
Heartache to heartache we stand  
No promises, no demands  
Love is a battlefield

We are strong, no one can tell us we're wrong  
Searchin' our hearts for so long  
Both of us knowing  
Love is a battlefield

* * *

TO BE CONTINUED!


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: I want to remind people of the DPWM playlist; it is on my myspace, or you can get the link directly to it. Both of those links will be on my profile.

Also, on top of this being updated today, **ShurikenX** promised she would update 'I Can't Dream Alone' if I updated this story, so after you read mine, go and send her lots of messages demanding that she update already, since Banishedone kept her end of the bargain. Harass her if you have to!

Another person I want to thank is **Akuyuumei** for being an awesome reviewer and friend, and ARTIST. Please go and check out her deviantart, and the picture she created for this story, it is made of win, and nothing less than that! That link is also in my profile, so don't forget!

Other people on my thankyou list would be **Zena007**, because she encouraged me to keep working on this story, and has been amazingly supportive. And then there are the people at Naruto forums, the **Birds of a Feather Uchihacest Fanclub**. I found my name on their list of good authors, and that was some great motivation to keep working. I would also suggest visiting their club, and joining in the Uchihacest love; They would surely be happy to have you. That link will ALSO be on my profile!

Now, on a less positive note, for all the people I see adding this story to their favorites, (and I DO know who you are, all of you!).. If you can take the time to read the 40-something wordperfect page chapters I so generously give my time to write, then FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, you had BETTER have the time to review!

I will hunt you down!

And, with all that said, enjoy the chapter!

Milk it for all it's worth  
Make sure you get there first  
The apple of your eye  
The rotten core inside  
We are all prisoners  
Things couldn't get much worse  
I've had it up to here

You know your end is near

Abysmal eyes opened very slowly, taking in the soft light of the moon in the sky, and as if it took a moment for the teen to remember where he was, he stared into space, only finally moving after he pulled completely out of the grip sleep so desperately had on him. He had slept better than he had in such a very long time, and he supposed he owed that to his brother- He was free at last from the disgusting memories that had been haunting him without him ever knowing the truth of the matter. With a soft sigh he sat up, having slept clear through last night, and the day, and only now was he waking from his slumber. Finally his body was caught up, and he felt so very much better.

He would feel better, still, after tonight was over, and he knew it. Tonight would be the end of everything, and he was glad; Yes, finally over, and then he could have peace in his life. No more did he have to suffer all the wicked emotional and sexual torments his brother had dropped onto him. Itachi just thought he had twisted Sasuke up, and now he was trapped, but no, for everything, that man would pay. The young Uchiha had it set in his mind, tonight, Itachi would finally get what he deserved; punishment for his sins.

Startled, or else merely jolted from his still-sleep-ridden trance, Sasuke's head turned with a swift jerk to the side. This was a surprised reaction to commotion in the room directly beyond the wall at the Uchiha boy's back. Loudly, a bang echoed throughout the motel hallways, heavy enough to have represented a body's harsh collide with a wall. The noise was immediately followed, predictably, by a shrill scream of pure human terror; The poor soul in the next room was fighting for their life, and dreadfully frightened as the battle was obviously being lost. The struggle that was so apparent was free for anybody's listening pleasure, and through a tinge of guilt, Sasuke moved in an unhurried manner to press his body to the wall in interest. He was careful not to disturb the happenings, even as he knew it would be the 'right thing' to do if he planned on not listening, and rather, being the hero to lend a hand. But no- He wasn't feeling up to it. He was more interested in discovering what was truly becoming of the weaker person separated from his field of vision by one thin wall.

The minute struggle seemed to have ended; though the vocalizations from the victim were plentiful- She had shifted from terror to pain. No doubt a frail body was being wracked with sobs as the cries slipped out one by one, pleading for mercy in just the sound. This weak prey's indignation and suffering was overshadowed steadily by a chorus of careless groans. The heartless attacker didn't care about the agony he was inflicting on another human being; he was more occupied with the pleasure he was receiving for his efforts.

There was no question in the young Uchiha's mind as to what was taking place next door. The occurrence of rape was common to the trashy area of town he had selected for his temporary residence. The people here were scum, there was no questioning that fact. The only reason the teen was forced to stay in such a place was because he had very little money to his name- It was dwindling even further in his pursuit of Itachi. The extent of the process was draining the boy of his resources, as well as other things. Admittedly, however, he wasn't exactly bothered or afraid of such places. In the end it was probably better; Nobody would expect to find him in such a place- Not Konoha nin, nor Akatsuki, so, it suited him just fine. And the poor excuse for a human population that cluttered this dismal area couldn't very well challenge Sasuke. Most of these people had never even met a shinobi, so of course they were no match for one. They were all just brawny brawlers, trash that littered the city streets, and with hardly an effort Sasuke could clean them up. The young Uchiha certainly wouldn't have any objections to unloading some stress on these people, should he be challenged.

Currently, however, the young boy felt no pride in what he was doing. He was being just as heartless as he was perverted listening in on the monstrosities occurring only a few feet away, but he felt he just could not help it. It was everything he wanted to hear right now; the squeaking rock of his neighbor's bed and the brazen moaning that came with every rough thrust of his hips into his weaker prey, and all the helpless whimpers emitted from the victim as she was dirtied and abused on a subhuman level. To this, Sasuke was virtually unable to keep his mind under control, and he closed his eyes in an attempt to refocus his thoughts, though this only further accentuated the problem. It was far too late to stop the poison twisting the young teen's thoughts. A shaking hand slowly, hesitantly, was raised up to lay against the boy's covered crotch, and as his restraint steadily slipped away, his fingers began to stroke up and down, providing a small source of stimulation. A smooth release of breath filtered from the shinobi's lungs, a sign of his relenting state.

The way Sasuke imagined things, he was in that room next door. And some part of him likely wished to tread on over there, not to be a hero, but to throw himself down to be next in line- Perhaps the physical pain was a more fair escape from his life's emotional torment. But the image of whatever lowlife was next door was replaced by another figure, and that was Sasuke's own elder brother; his sneaky and deceptive torturer. The elder would simply barge in, unexpected, and throw the younger male down, harshly ripping the clothes from his form before mercilessly burying himself in his little sibling's unwilling body.

Too aroused to go on, Sasuke loosened up the tie at his waist and slid his pants down with desperate haste. Ashamed, the boy took his weeping erection in hand, truly wishing he was not so very excited by the thought of having his own despicable brother's hardened member thrust inside him, but despite that his thin hand jerked his arousal without restraint. Tightly he gripped himself as he pumped at an accelerated pace, needing his release now as furiously as his mortal flesh had needed rest previously. Undeniably, the tension between himself and his sibling had gotten to him, but he was dead set on alleviating that before he dared to face Itachi again.

"Uhhnn.." A low sound of needy lust escaped, even as Sasuke made the greatest attempt to bite back any noise. The teen Uchiha's other hand flew out to grasp the headboard of his bed for dear life as his back curled and his entire body began to turn inward at the heated friction he was bestowing upon himself. Every muscle beneath his skin was tense, and his face wrinkled in concentration.

The brute just beyond the safety of the room walls vocalized loudly as he undoubtably met his finish, and Sasuke had to imagine what it would be like to have his sibling finish inside him. The rushed pace of Itachi's hips moving lustfully against his own as the elder plunged deep inside again, and again, concentrated solely on his own pleasure, while Sasuke was condemned to accept nothing but pain up until the point that his body was claimed by a wave of shivers at the feel of his own elder brother releasing his hot fluid into him.

"Aaahhn..!" Letting go, Sasuke cried out in the grip of consuming orgasm, not even able to think nor care as the opal liquid splattered against the headboard, and dripped down onto the sheets as it ran down his dainty fingers. His breath came out in uneven pants as his entire body jerked from the overwhelming pleasure, though the stroking slowed as the spasms steadily dimmed out. The boy flopped loosely down to the soft surface of the mattress; Actually, it wasn't all that soft, but as used up as he was, it was comfortable enough. He laid catching his breath for a moment, contemplating what he had just done- He felt fulfilled, but only for a moment, because deep inside he was still so very empty, and it was a pain he was sadly unaware of how to alleviate. The afterglow of bliss washed over him and away as quick as it had come, and as the euphoria withdrew, it left the teen feeling insanely irritable on the inside. Without warning or purpose, the young boy's fist slammed down into his pillow, and in a fit he threw it a short distance across the room, letting it clash with the dirtied surface of the wall that may have once been white, a mess of feathers flying out, and dancing in the stale air of the room.

If only he could still truly think of Itachi like that; The cruelty of his envisionment was that he knew now that his brother wasn't the same monster he had encountered the night his parents were killed. That had been an illusion, and it was all too crystal clear. The man that massacred the Uchiha clan was a man beneath a cold and brutal mask, deceiving the impressionable child he left alive, sending him down a soul-destroying path of hatred. Sasuke felt his entire existence was lie, and he needed his blood thirsty sibling back to knock him down to Earth without a second thought, that way the boy wouldn't have to be so aware of the soft center that was still hidden beneath his trained exterior. Sasuke knew that tonight he would finally kill that bastard, Itachi, but damn it! He felt.. So utterly guilty. He was beginning to question if he wanted to, if he even -could- go through with it.

Sasuke shook his head frantically from side to side, clutching at the sheets beneath him in frustration, and wishing he could punish himself for even thinking such a thing. His sibling had lived a life of endless sin, he had done everything in his power to rebel against the definitions separating right from wrong, and just because he tried to justify his ways, it was no excuse; There were no excuses. Just because that kind, caring Nii-san that Sasuke once knew was still very much alive within the man Itachi was now, it did not mean that Sasuke could simply cling to his childish nostalgia. Itachi had to be put to death at last, and there was no other alternative to that. There was no stopping this, there was no mercy left inside Sasuke's tattered heart.

With a groan the teen finally endured lifting his body up from the bed. The mattress now was feeling incredibly stiff, and in the back of his mind Sasuke wondered how he managed to sleep so well on the thing. He supposed that being derived so long can truly lower one's standards. He pulled his pants up, grateful that in his masturbation session he hadn't gotten himself terribly filthy. Tightening the sash about his waist, the boy made the best attempts to prepare himself mentally for what was to come, the nerve shredding horror that came in having to face Itachi one last time, and yet somehow Sasuke would manage to do it with calm and reserve. Stoically he would take his elder's life, and secure vengeance for his clan; The revenge he had worked his entire life for.

Padding into the small area reserved for his washing needs, he cleared his mind of all thoughts, operating almost unconsciously. He wanted to concentrate on feeling peace. A searching hand reached up, scanning over a dingy wall until it located the switch that controlled the weak, yellowish lights. The luminance may have been a depressing sort, but it was enough for Sasuke to make his way over to an off-white sink, where he picked up a clean rag, and wet it under the tap once he turned the squeaking knobs. The water flow skipped, and the pipes of the old building banged at the disturbance, but it was all lost to the boy. He couldn't care less about his surroundings, and he just went about his attempts at tidying himself a bit. Ringing the washcloth, he first used it to wipe at the pale skin of his face, and quickly he moved down to his neck, then, sliding his haori slightly from his shoulders, he gave his flesh there a quick wiping, before throwing the rag back down. He used the minuscule bar of complimentary soap to wash his hands, lathering it up and rubbing it into his flesh before rinsing and finally turning off the water. He rubbed wet hands through his spiky locks to make sure any flat spots were taken care of, and then he dried what little remained on his appendages. That cheap soap left his skin feeling oddly dry, but it was of little concern.

The last task he moved to accomplish before leaving was making sure he collected his very few possessions. He tucked his sleek katana beneath his sash, and meandered over to the small night stand where he had left his other belongings. He had left to his name, collectively, a kunai, a few coins, a couple of shuriken, a few tools for maintaining his bladed objects, an exploding tag, and a smoke bomb. He tucked his things into various areas in the material of his clothes that were useful for storage, such as the pockets in his loose sleeves, or securely just beneath his belt.

Very anxious to escape his filthy dwelling, the teen slid into his shoes before emerging from his dwelling and sauntering down the hall, exiting the crumbling building. Moving along the dingy streets wasn't as troubling as the boy may have thought. The array of pathetic men and women crawling the curbs didn't bother with him, and he busied his vision not with his disgusting surroundings, but instead with the clear night sky. His inky optics discovered a source of solace by staring up, as the never-ending reaches of space stared down proudly, knowing the beauty in which they held. Tonight the sky was more brilliantly azure than ever as the pale and impassive face of tsukuyomi lit the empty air in the solitude of his loneliness. What was Sasuke to that powerful entity in the sky? A small insect among many littering the planet's surface? A dainty hand reached up, and pale digits splayed across the image of the silvery moon hovering so far above- It was almost as if Sasuke could grasp the almighty watcher of night, and pull him down from his home in the sky.

Sasuke thought he had come to a realization of sorts- It had to do with his siblings keen obsession with the wonders and myths of the astrological. Tsukuyomi and Amaterasu, the moon and the sun; they were said to be siblings, though through an unfortunate turn of events, and a quarrel between them, they now refused to ever see one another again. The sun claimed the skies great expanse in the day, but disappeared with the coming of night, leaving her brother to wait, alone in the dark, merely reflecting his siblings life-giving rays, falsely pretending to be beautiful as his scarred face glowed in the sky.

The Uchiha siblings held the same fate; grudgingly one would never forgive the other, and just the same, in the end, one would reign supreme while the other was left in darkness. Sasuke just wished he could figure out how his elder had things arranged in his own twisted mind. More than likely he saw his little brother such as he saw the moon- Sasuke had never been quite as brilliant or accepted as Itachi, and thanks to his elder he now reflected that cruel path to power, just as the moon mirrored the light of the sun. The young teen moved securely alone, and surrounded by the blanket of secrecy that was the darkness, while Itachi wove his path proudly with the rise of the sun each morning.

Sasuke supposed he was content with this comparison. In his mind, the sun had set for the very last time.

The air of the night was cool against the boy's smooth porcelain skin, and feeling his fingers grow cold he curled them into his sleeves to regain warmth. The night was still young, but soon everything would be coated in a thin frost; twinkling, glassy death. The lively temperature was fading from the air, and before very long the area would succumb to the clutches of winter.

Catching sight of his own reflection in the broken glass of window spanning the length of a large building, the young male studied himself as he passed by. He looked so much like a ghost in the moonlight, his alabaster skin practically glowing as his white haori fluttered in the gentle wind, producing a soft and eerie billow that was not even accompanied by footsteps, but rather, a sort of silence only produced with the gait of a shinobi or some wandering phantom. The strands of raven hair that fell around his face were as deep and glossy as a still and silent doll, and even with his proud stance the boy's equally charcoal-black eyes were almost hidden from view, lost in a mesh of darkness in the dim light.

The boy sighed, seeming so peaceful on the outside, while on the inside his turmoil was bubbling up once more. Ironically, he was so very graceful as he unleashed a wave of destruction, throwing one of his only shuriken and busting the window the rest of the way out, inky orbs simply staring as the sharks littered the sidewalk, jingling in the rush of movement until everything was still again. Nobody would miss it- The building was abandoned anyway, and it likely would have happened at one point or another. He just couldn't take it anymore; All he saw in his reflection was the image of his brother, silently stalking by his side, forever following Sasuke, just the same as Sasuke foolishly spent his life chasing after him. All the teen was able to see in anything beautiful, apparently, was Itachi. The elder male's eye for the simplistic, and wonderful things, despite his jaded way of life; His whimsical and symbolic views and actions, everything that made him Itachi, regretfully, was intertwined with some mystic sort of aesthetic. From sweet scents and the magnificence of refracting light, beaming perfectly down, to artistic designs gracing the clothes people wore, and the buildings that stood, to every delicious morsel of food, and every sweet caress of soft skin on skin, and wistfully ironic happenings tying everything together without a single flaw- It was all Itachi.

And Sasuke was afraid he could not deny that.

There was absolutely -nothing- beautiful in this place. The area Sasuke found himself rather quickly trying to leave behind was a heap of garbage; gray and disgusting, and infectious. Was that what the world would be like once the elder Uchiha was in the ground? Was this why every time Sasuke left his brother's presence he found nothing but hell beyond Itachi's grasp? Would the world be lost to all splendid, lovely things as they vanish with that man's death or else leave Sasuke eternally haunted by the older Uchiha's presence. No, Sasuke didn't care, and he didn't want to think about any of that. He wouldn't because it was exactly how Itachi would take things into consideration.

The soon-to-be-last Uchiha stopped his incessant thinking, and broke out into a full run, needing to get away from the world around him, needing an escape from everything. The whip of the cool air against his face as his gait steadily heightened caused his dark eyes to water, but he paid it no mind. It blurred things out so he didn't have to see anymore. In its way, it was comforting.

You had to have it all,  
Well have you had enough?  
You greedy little bastard,  
You will get what you deserve,  
When all is said and done,  
I will be the one, To leave you in the misery and hate what you've become.

Sasuke found it in himself to stop long before he made it to his siblings selected area of dwelling, and he shifted his gear so that his pace slowed to that of a brisk walk. He needed to catch his breath for a bit, but he didn't so much mind the intense need for air, because he had, at least, escaped that crumby area of town. Now he was winding along just at the edge of where things were better- Nicer, safer, prettier, and better, in general. It was almost as if the young boy had ran himself clear into another world, and that much made him feel a bit more comforted. The surroundings, perhaps, had gotten to him, though he had escaped that shithole, and now there was nothing but the shaking of his limbs, and the blood pumping hard in his veins. The boy wasn't sure why he had even ran away to such a place for no purpose but to escape from Itachi; It had been a waste of time and money, honestly.

The bustling area that surrounded him now was much more lively and lavish, which meant Sasuke would soon be within range of his brother's appointed location. He drew out the slip of paper that had never left his sleeve-pockets, practically forgotten in Sasuke's physical and emotional exhaustion, and with the delicate paper securely in his grasp, he unfolded it to reveal the address Itachi would be staying at. Sasuke read it, and repeated it in his head a few times, taking it in, and committing it to memory.

Once he was sure he could recall the information without needing to look again, he tucked the paper away, and allowed his eyes to admire the scenery. This town was a busier sort; the streets were littered with a mess of well-off people, mostly business-oriented sorts, though the feel of the place was very light and easygoing. For those with money, it had to be an immensely fascinating area to take refuge; There was an endless assortment of different eateries and shops for various things. Every building was finely crafted, and adorned with colorfully lighted signs, well-lit to the point that the darkness of the night sky could not be seen anymore beyond the bright blanket of artificial rays. The sounds were vast and numerous; People chattered merrily, and workers shouted out their advertisements in enthralling sing-song tones. Music accompanied flashing signs, and poured from various speakers in every other shop, and rang out from a merry posse of street-roaming free-people. The array of scents wafting about, and mingling together in the dull breeze was just as variant; So many different types of food, along with sweet incense sticks, scented oils and flowers being sold around every corner. The place was an absolute rainbow of pleasantries; No wonder Itachi was positioned here.

These people roamed the streets, going about their merry ways, blissfully unaware of the melancholy boy walking among them. Each and every man, woman and child here was so wonderfully content with their lives, free from misery and suffering, but Sasuke, on the other hand, certainly was not without his strife. He felt bitterly empty. Equally so was the boy's stomach, bitterly empty; He felt it even more harshly now that he had run out the extent of the energy he had left, and his belly was twisting painfully in the denial of a basic need. Sasuke needed food, and he supposed it would be best to handle such a thing before he went to his brother. He would not stand to let Itachi see him weak any more; Not tonight.

The young Uchiha stopped at a food cart he had been passing, and instantly he was greeted by a much overexcited vendor who was determined to make a sell, and with vigor he went about teasing the boy's senses by flaunting his fresh food selection. The heavyset man opened up a myriad of containers, displaying their contents so that all the delicious smells pulled the boy in and had his mouth watering. Sasuke scanned over his choices, considering the options, and wishing dearly that he could have a bit of everything, though his sights finally settled on a juicy strip of barbeque pork on a stick. It was only a snack to dull the boy's appetite until a later time, but once he reached into his sleeve pocket for his money he found he didn't have enough for what he wanted, or anything else for that matter. Defeated, sullen, and ridiculously hungry still, the young male brushed the vendor off and turned to carry on along his path. His belly was empty, and his hopes were crushed.

From there he thought it would be best to simply ignore all the nice things around him, namely the tempting foods that he could not have. He just walked along his set path, hardly looking up from the ground aside from checking signs for the name of the hotel Itachi was staying at. Eventually those deep, black eyes were indeed laid upon the sign displaying the name that was written on the paper, and not so surprisingly it was a lovely, quaint, old fashioned sort of place, tucked in a small, foliage-decorated corner of the city. Sasuke made his way through the opening of the gate, welcomed by the soft dinging of a luck ornament hanging just above. He followed a curved path of stepping stones through the lush garden out front, eventually finding the entrance to the building next to a fountain-waterfall pouring into a small display-pond which housed two large, colorfully spotted fish. He spared them a dull glance, thinking of how lucky they were to be sharing such a simple, private word, isolated from all else; Just the two of them. He did not linger, however; He slipped his fingers into the groove on the thin, glass sliding door that led inside, and he stepped over the threshold, shutting the door softly behind him so he didn't disturb anybody. This place, like all the others, towered up a good many stories, and the boy suspected that his sibling would be all the way at the top. He could assume that because he knew Itachi fairly well at this point. The heir had a fascination with the sky, and if the room number didn't give it away, Sasuke could expect a stair climb being involved in him locating Itachi.

The inside of the inn seemed almost abandoned, but that was probably a finer point from Itachi's point of view. Sasuke didn't mind either; All he found wandering the halls were robed men resembling monks of some sort, and then very quiet ladies that didn't even look up as they passed you by. Since the young Uchiha was having a bit of trouble locating the stairs to take him to the top floors of the tower, he was forced to ask directions. He spoke up quietly to a particularly short, thin man whose narrow body was wrapped in a burnt-orange, silken material, hoping to gain some assistance. Kindly, the frail-looking old man explained to the young male where he needed to go, and Sasuke thanked him politely. It made Sasuke wonder, though- Was this why Itachi had chosen such a place to stay? Such a beautiful inn with extremely mild mannered occupants, it served to remind Sasuke of how very mannerly his own sibling still was, for a murderer. Yes this place, and the people probably suited his tastes quite nicely.

Thanks to the help he had acquired, the teen located the correct door leading to the stairs, prepared for another harsh climb. He slid open the paper screen, shutting it behind him with a soft push, and he waited for a moment as his eyes adjusted to the low-light of the dimly burning candles leading the way up, and once he felt he could make it without missing a step he began his hike. He took deep breaths, and very slow steps- Not because of the dark surroundings, but because of how weak he was feeling from food deprivation. He just ignored it- He only needed to go a bit further, and accomplish a few small tasks, and then he could worry about it. Until then it was not important.

He kept a steady pace, determinedly putting one foot in front of the other until he could tell he had risen a great distance from the ground. The effect of heights was dizzying on the human head until one got used to it- Either that or perhaps it was the need for energy throwing off Sasuke's systems. No matter what, he knew he had climbed an immense amount of stairs, and with that knowledge he felt it was justified when he stopped to allow his muscles a moment to rest, however, over his own deep breaths he could hear another noise. Or, not quite a noise, but a soft sound, rather, since noise implied that it was aggravating in its ring, and this sound was rather..nice. It was singing. He could hear a melodious female voice, singly lowly, and comfortingly as if it were a lullaby resting on her tongue. The words of the song, Sasuke easily recognized, because it wasn't in a typically understood language, but a dead language known only the wandering nomadic tribes from the land of wind, which were mostly extinct now. The boy didn't know the meaning of the words, but he had heard the song before- The only reason for this was because he recalled his mother once telling him how she and his father once went on a mission in the land of wind where they were aided by the shinobi tribes living far out in the desert there. The memory was so old it seemed like a dream. The memory of Mikoto singing this very song every night to Sasuke, and knowing once she sang it as well to Itachi, was even more like a distant mirage.

This left the Uchiha wondering: who in the world could be singing such words? The young male curiously continued up the stairs, wary of the ghostly sound, and whoever it may have been coming from. He got to a flat landing, and turned the corner slowly, laying eyes on the source of the song from years back. Perched in the very middle of a flight of stairs was a petite blonde dressed in the clothes of a desert nomad- A grayish tan tunic kept her upper body mostly hidden, though long slender legs sprawled out before her, stretching down the stairs as if it were a most comfortable place to be sitting. Around her delicate ankles were beaded turquoise anklets and little gold chains, then on small feet she bore soft, leathery shoes that were infinitely lighter in color than her sun-kissed skin. Inky optics traced up, however, to look the woman in the eye, wondering what she was doing sitting here on the stairs singing songs that toyed with the young male's mind. The reddish brown eyes Sasuke met seemed very empty, and upon further inspection he could almost hypothesize that she was either near-blind, or completely sightless- Her optics wandered here and there, passing over Sasuke a few times, moving to stare into darkness in their searching until at last she locked onto the boy when he took a step forward. She almost seemed to study the boy, but in a hard to explain way- She wasn't seeing him, she was seeing _through _him with the use of some mystic strength.

If she insisted on staring down the Uchiha, however, he would stare back, though he wasn't all that interested in lingering here much longer. His attention was jolted when the woman gave a tilt of her head, and her long blonde braids moved in a wave with her motion, the beads in her locks clicking together. A thin hand reached up to adjust a scarlet scarf around her forehead before she stood, gracefully coming to her feet as if she stood on air.

Now sure that she had company, she addressed the boy in an outlandish tone, her pink lips stretching first into a smile as she struck a very friendly tone. "A stray, another stray, but are you welcome among us here? ..Tell me, is it you who has come seeking the raven who holds the sun in one eye and the moon in the other?"

Though friendly her tone was, she still struck a strangely imploring tone, a poetic mysteriousness that had the potential for malice, despite how benevolent her appearance. Sasuke was still very much on his guard, because when it came to things set up by Itachi, being caught unaware could have proven fatal. And this most certainly was the work of his elder sibling.

"The sun in one eye and the moon in the other? You speak of Uchiha Itachi, correct?" The young shinobi's voice was smooth, but disconnected, and eternally cautious, though he clearly was unafraid, merely on the careful side. He took it as a good sign when the kunoichi grinned down at him, twirling a small fan between her fingers, fluttering it open, and shut quickly before tucking it into a holster on her thigh, which probably should have held a kunai.

She gave a fascinated tilt of her head again, her locks once more shifting with her movement, and causing the low sound of her beads moving together to echo off the walls, just to die out before reaching anybodies ears again. She waited for the empty air of silence to fall between herself and the Uchiha boy before she answered. "You know of him, then!" Just as before her tone was exuberant, and joyful, but laced with an ominous feel- Sasuke just knew she would be doing something unbelievably mischievous at any moment. "But.. Is this to say you are the hawk-eyed one with fire in one hand and lightning in the other?"

The male was sure such a description could only be meant for him- Surely it had been gifted to him from Itachi to this girl, in her selected tongue, and now she was referring to him as such. It was accurate, in it's way, at least. He answered her question willingly, still maintaining a polite aura, but he was obviously feeling a tinge of impatience. "I am Uchiha Sasuke, yes." Despite the way this woman spoke, Sasuke could understand easily enough, and thus give her good enough answers. In the back of his mind, he was thinking to himself; He was sure his sibling loved these desert people's coded, poetic, words, along with the mystic ways they were said to have. Weren't they also said to be possessors of kekkegenkai as well? Sasuke wasn't sure, but he wasn't concerned either.

Surprise pulsed through the boy as the woman let out an amused laugh, her voice sounding innocent, though it was most assured she had something tricky up her sleeve. The girl gave a wink as her right hand reached for her fan again, and she twirled it between her fingers, raising her other hand and displaying three fingers for Sasuke to see. She took a breath before speaking again, her voice lowering now to a more challenging tone. The young Uchiha tensed, his hand moving to the handle of his katana just as a means of comfort.

"Oh no, for me to believe you're the one I speak of, you must prove it to me. There are three things the raven instructed me to see from you... Now..." She paused in her words, dropping her left hand to her side, and the fan in her right hand was opened with a resounding flap, and with a simple wave of the tiny object, each candle lining the stairwell flickered out, leaving the scent of smoke and wax in the air. "Begin!"

The sound of her amused laughter darted about the room as Sasuke's head whipped around, trying desperately to locate her in the blanket of darkness surrounding them, and she, assuredly, was bounding along walls and ceilings through the use of careful chakra control. Sasuke had one thought on his mind very clearly at the moment- Damn it.

The desert kunoichi's giggles echoed out, surrounding the boy from every angle, but he remained calm, contemplating a strategy, needing a plan of action more than anything. Firstly he leapt up the stairs, positioning himself safely on a flat landing, and once he was there, and had at least a few feet of space to move more surely than he could on stairs, he tried to focus on finding this girl's position, and locking onto her, while also debating what it was she wanted to see in order to get her to halt this madness. It became very hard to concentrate, however, because soon her voice was reverberating off the walls from no apparent source, and her words filtering into the boy's head kept him from any kind of thought.

"I am the eagle who flies in darkness. I am here to keep you from passing unless you prove you hold fire in one hand and lightning in the other... Or is it too difficult for you to focus in the dark, my hawk-eyed stray?" Her boundless laughter came from all sides, but thankfully Sasuke didn't yet feel too threatened. She had just given him his answers, so at that he was rather pleased, even though he was currently being engaged by a rather confusing kunoichi, and couldn't even see.

He only grew slightly unnerved as he heard the metallic sliding ring of a sword being drawn from a sheath, and the wooden jingling of her beading locks moving about with her motion, coming directly at him. Instinctively his thin hand moved to his sheathed katana, and he drew it forth, crucially focusing on the slicing ring of a sharp blade swinging through the air in order to locate where her weapon would strike. Once he knew, he wasted no time parrying, causing a jolt of blue sparks to fly from the blades as they connected with a threatening clang. He gave a hard shove back against his weapon, sending the female back with the force of it, though she flipped gracefully, intending to land on the stairs without a worry.

In a flash of movement the boy sheathed his katana, needing his hands in order to perform a set of seals. Summoning a fire jutsu was easily accomplished- He had known how to since he was just a kid, but he had to be sure he did it carefully as he didn't wish to burn this place to the ground. He would just have to aim correctly, and use less chakra, and then he would successfully do what he hoped to. His hands formed the signs easily, as if they were second nature to him, and just as easily he unleashed a smaller fireball, and sent it hurtling down the staircase at the girl. Sasuke had no intention to actually harm her, but he needed to defend himself at all costs while also doing what was required of him. The burning light of the attack made the entire field visible for only a moment, and in that moment the Uchiha saw the girl bolt off to the side, and up a wall, successfully dodging the meager sphere. Her movements were so fluid, and cat-like, and even with blood red sharingan it was hard to keep up with her, then all at once both shinobi were plunged into even an greater darkness that came with the death of the light. It was just enough, though- Sasuke had analyzed her movement for the most part, and with the sound of those beads giving him a general feel for where she was at, he found keeping up with her much easier.

"Fire, fire, stray who controls fire! ..That's one, my friend, but do you have more?"

The kunoichi laughed again as her words echoed from all directions- But Sasuke still had her location pinpointed, and he kept himself concentrated on the clicking of those beads, and the scampering of soft leather against the walls. Yet, all at once the boy lost his focus on where she was, as her footsteps stopped, and she jumped from her clinging area, and was now flying through the air at a dangerous pace. He could still hear her, but he could not figure out where she would be landing, because she was going free-fall.

To be safe, he began to focus his chakra in his hand, converting it to elemental energy while backing up a few paces, ready for the woman to land, and come at him. He rushed to form chidori, wanting the comforting azure illumination more than anything else contained in the technique. He pushed as hard as he could, struggling now because of the lack of energy within his malnourished body, but at last he was able to grasp enough chakra to summon the move. Just as the electric current flooded the area in light, however, the kunoichi was right in front of the boy, and she waved her tiny fan in his direction, opening her joyfully smiling mouth, and emitting a high pitched blast of sorts, which did no physical harm, but in seconds Sasuke found himself on his knees, his balance and perception distorted from the wave hitting him. He didn't bother wasting time sitting like a useless moron, no, he got to his feet, unsteady, though he was.

Gripping his wrist this time, having to strain more than ever, he pushed himself to form the technique again, delving deep for any store of chakra in his frame. At the same time he was listening for movement, and eerily he heard absolutely none. Where had the woman went? After taking her attack full-force, Sasuke knew he wasn't in a good position if he lost track of her again, and regretfully, he had. The Uchiha just remained calm, concentrating on the last tiny bits of chakra he was focusing in his palm, and he converted it to an electrical current, just needing the light from it once more to find that kunoichi, to prove himself.

At last the chirping sparks the technique was named for bursted from the boy's hand, and the glow lit the stairs, giving him an opportunity to search. His eyes darted all over, not finding anybody directly in front of him, and he whirled around, hurriedly searching, though he was startled to locate the kunoichi a few feet behind him, sharing the same flat landing. The woman raised her fan, and Sasuke shifted defensively, not sure as to what she would do, and he certainly did not want to be hit by her strange equilibrium altering technique again. In response, she giggled lowly at him, amused at how jumpy he had become suddenly, and with a wave of her pocket-sized weapon, she brought back the light, drawing fiery life from the previously dimmed candles, and in the comforting embrace of the dull orange glow, Sasuke straightened, letting the jutsu fade away, which was greatly relieving to his used-up body.

He had to admit, though- He knew how Itachi selected his women, because the girl certainly was no pushover.

Almost instantly the boy wished dearly that the thought had not occurred, because it only awakened the feelings of jealousy that had overwhelmed him when faced with his sibling's last body guard; It was merely a most obvious sign as his guard, once again, turned out to be female. He didn't know why it bothered him, being almost sure his brother sexed these girls up as payment; What more should he expect from his murderous brother? Not to mention he couldn't even control himself at twelve years old- He was so possessed by his needs that he premeditated the molestation of his own little brother, using his sharingan to hypnotize the boy so he could take advantage of him.

He shook those thoughts away, focusing on the gleeful words that next rang from the kunoichi's lips. She seemed pleased at least, though Sasuke was feeling even worse than he was when he first came inside this place. "Ah yes, you carry lightning as well, my young shinobi!"

Sasuke had to admit to himself, even as the girl seemed very willing now to let him pass, he was slightly confused. She originally spoke of three tests of his identity, and yet he was sure he had only showed her two- Maybe the third had been for him to show his sharingan to her? Honestly he was less curious about that, and more hung on the possibility of this woman having had his brother's cock buried between her legs previous to this struggle that had just come to pass. As she stared blindly at him, calmly moving aside, intending to let him pass, his need for answers overwhelmed him, and he knew he simply had to linger for one more passing moment.

"Tell me something.." He began, noticing that she cocked her head attentively, and with great intrigue that he wasn't going to just pass her by without another word. Ebon optics wandered off to the side as the young Uchiha spoke up, his tone faintly curious, but mostly withdrawn. "..Why? ..Why help Itachi?"

The feisty femme gave the boy a nod almost instantly, smiling as if this were the simplest question in all of existence. Sasuke himself wasn't sure he was pleased to see that the request was so easy. He paid close attention as she spoke up, clearing his mind of feelings of uncertainty, lest he reflect them in his still semi-expressive being. He did want this answer, after all.

"The raven seeks powerful shinobi as allies, keeping resources here and there as all good stray ninja should.." The kunoichi's voice was calm, and bell-like, and oddly comforting as she spoke so seriously- It was a bit strange for Sasuke to realize such a thing; Then again, his mother's old lullabies had been on this woman's lips when he found her. "Such allies can provide help to a friend in a tight situation, just as I do now, though in my case, I come from a clan which is fast becoming scarce, dying out, just the same as you, Uchiha... And I required the assistance of a worthy shinobi in order to help restore my people's numbers... It's a simple agreement, really, hawk-eyes."

Stunned, and yet not, Sasuke stared for a moment, taking in what the woman was informing him of; The solid proof backing the young male's suspicions. Soon he just nodded to her, grateful for the answer she had given, despite how unexplainably crushed he felt on the inside. He didn't worry about it- Those piercing fragments promptly were ignited by his internal flame, and the bitterness of hatred took over. He didn't want to show that to the desert flower before him now, so he gave her a polite nod to thank her for her informative answers, speaking up immediately after in a tone he thought sounded immensely defeated; He just hoped her sensitive ears weren't attuned enough to catch on to his disappointment.

"Thank you. I hope that wasn't terribly out of line for me to ask you."

The blonde shook her head, her braided locks shifting with each move of her head, and she gave the Uchiha warm sort of smile, still looking as devious as a cat before it pounces on a mouse. "Do not be sorry." She paused, only now twirling her small weapon, and securely tucking back into the holster as if the battle had just now ended. "I was instructed to not allow anybody to pass if they did not ask such a question- Had you not asked, one of us would have died here."

The teen gawked in utter disbelief for a moment at what he was hearing, not at all wanting to accept those words. He couldn't believe his sibling would be so irresponsible with his life; Amazingly, he didn't even believe Itachi to be able to kill him. He wasn't sure why- It was likely foolish of him, but that didn't matter. Itachi had actually _set this up _so that he couldn't get by without asking that question. He had the foresight to know without the shadow of a doubt that Sasuke would implore these answers from the kunoichi guard, and what was even worse was that Sasuke had been right all along! His brother was nothing more than a common whore, and at this very moment he was indirectly flaunting it right in Sasuke's face! He had known Sasuke would ask, and rather than instructing the kunoichi to lie, he told her to give Sasuke the answer. He truly _wanted_ Sasuke to be eaten at by the fury taking over his brain. Truly, Itachi used sexual acts to pay for things he wanted, shamelessly, and Sasuke could not take the truth of that.

The boy gave the woman a grateful nod once more before furiously bounding up the stairs, wanting to close the gap between himself and his brother once and for all. His vigor was new, and powerfully pulsing through his frame even as his body was basically emptied of chakra and plain energy, and any strength he possessed should have been utterly nonexistent due to him having not eaten in a while, and so many other numerous things. He climbed and climbed, his muscles burning in his legs, feeling as if they would tear apart at any moment, and his head pounded in frustration and from the way he barely allowed himself a breath until he made it to the top; And that top had to be so close, or at least he hoped it was. His sweat beaded along his pale forehead, and he didn't even spare a moment to wipe it away, not wanting to divert his attention anywhere else but to the stairs as he laid them behind him, steadily and surely as the sunrise and set.

Once he was at the top, at last, he near collapsed, panting in an attempt to catch his breath once more as a bout of shaking descended back upon his frame tenfold, possessing him in the complete and total lack of anything left keeping him together. He clutched at his legs in hopes that he could ease the pain exploding in them, and also to keep from tumbling down in the dizziness that he was still suffering from, due to the effects of that woman's unique sound-based attack. If anything, he felt, it had intensified now, but.. He had to keep it together. Breathing evenly now, he straightened himself while at last rubbing the dew from his brow, and sliding open the door leading out into the upper hallway. He trotted at an unhurried pace, carrying himself with confidence despite all the things he felt tugging his calm front down, and he made his way down the hall, eyes searching attentively for the correct room number among all the numbers painted on the sliding hotel room doors. For one reason or another, he hesitated once he found the correct door, and he stood staring at it for a minute or two, his heart pounding at the prospect of facing Itachi again after what felt like an eternity, though it had only been a day since the boy was last in his presence. He made one final attempt now to clear his mind, and calm his emotional state before he went before his brother, not wanting to allow Itachi to slowly pick him apart, piece by piece, like a crow feasting on some rancid carcass.

The elder must have thought himself very clever, sure of himself securing the win over his younger sibling by toying with the boy in this manner, but he absolutely would not; Sasuke would not allow it. The young Uchiha nodded to himself as if it were some sort of reassurance, and finally feeling mentally prepared, he reached out, letting his fingertips slide into the grooves of the doorframe, and he opened the screen soundlessly, stepping inside and clicking the door shut behind him. He just hoped Itachi hadn't somehow noticed how long the younger male waited outside. Shedding his sandals by the door, Sasuke shrugged off his nervous notions, and locked the delicate screen, though it probably would do little good if somebody truly wanted to get to the brother's locked inside.

Without halt the boy made his way through a spacious livingroom area, where centered in the room was a pentagon formed by low-set sectional loungers of a beige coloration. The place was set up as if a social gathering was to occur, when that had to be the farthest thing from the truth, concerning Itachi. Off to the side was a generous bookshelf, lined with all sorts of reading material, and a large, chocolate brown chair which was positioned directly next to the shelf. Silent feet padded along the wood floors, and Sasuke observed the intricate vine-pattern twisting about the walls, his eyes following the design before growing tired of it, and flickering to every point of green about the room- There were plants decorating the area here and there, looking very lush and healthy, and they accented the earthy decor perfectly. It was as lovely a dwelling as always, and no less was expected; Itachi was a predictable sort once you got to know him. His habits were unfaltering. The boy couldn't remember if his brother had elaborated on whether that blue-skinned beast had been killed during their struggle, but if he hadn't, he should have known easily where to look for his long lost partner. Sasuke had no time to stop and admire the nice selection of shelter, however- He simply made a few observations, and paused in his own mind to appreciate the lavishness that he, himself, was never able to afford. He tried not to be resentful anymore, after all, his sibling made this living by terrible means. With a deep breath the young male walked into the open doorway leading to the bedroom, and he stood there as if he were some kind of shy child.

The elder's bedroom was very dark in coloration, the walls all painted the same chocolate brown color as the chair in the livingroom, and the space was lit by the glow of a few tiny crimson candles positioned just here and there about the room. A few sat in a triangular formation on the antique-looking vanity upon one wall, while another group were placed atop a dresser on the same wall as the door, mostly lighting the perimeter. The third wall of the room consisted of two very large windows, and a sliding glass door that led out onto a deck, so one could fully appreciate the height of this room selection; This, of course, let in a fair amount of silvery light to mingle with the golden glow of the candles.

On the wall opposite the door was a bed sized well for more than one person, and it sat very low to the floor, matching with the common decoration style of these hotel rooms; It was a trick to the eye, making the room appear larger than it was. The blankets upon the generously sized mattress were of various shades of cream and beige and brown, then next to the bed was a small table which, along with the lit candles, and an assortment of books likely taken from the shelf, sat a simple vase containing a few brilliant, red flowers; Flowers the color of fresh blood; Flowers the color of passion.

There were two books that were not stacked upon the table, and that was because they were laid out, open, on the bed, and also in the process of being read by the man positioned in the dead center of the comfortable looking mattress; Itachi.

The man- He did appear as though he had just finished with hot, passionate sex, the way he waited, draped in his signature cloak, leaving it gaping wide open so the world could sneak a peek at him; He was flaunting what he had beneath, because beyond the cloak there was no shirt in sight, just creamy, pale skin. Then again, the actual act of sex may have occurred hours ago, and now Sasuke was just tricking himself; He realized this, and yet he couldn't help allowing his mind to wander, fully examining the fact that his brother, indeed, fucked that kunoichi Sasuke had met on the stairs.

He considered that his elder may have gotten off to being erotically spoken to in dead tongues as he thrust into his pretty little patron, and perhaps those lengthy, golden braids with their clinking beads were amusing to tug while taking her from behind, and certainly those long, slender legs looked exquisite as they were parted and Itachi pushed himself into her slick warmth. The boy had to grit his teeth to keep his anger contained, remembering the calm he promised he would maintain during this encounter. He planned on playing his elder siblings game, and he would do it just the same way, and see how frustrated Itachi would become

Sasuke was just trying, now, to figure out why Itachi bothered wearing that cloak still. It was far too ironic, even for the heir- He was on the run from the organization, yet he remained clad in their signature guise. There was a chance that wearing the thing was habitual, or comforting, being that the older Uchiha was likely used to having it draped around him. Sasuke, on the other hand, only still wore his clothes from Sound because he didn't yet have the means to find anything new. The teen highly doubted that his brother wearing the garment just thrown on and left open was a matter of inclination.

Though Sasuke was set on studying his company, Itachi did not return such interest; He didn't even look up as the younger male remained in the doorway, so Sasuke didn't bother waiting to be welcomed. He just walked in. He would just assume Itachi was too blind to see him standing here, even as he realized this clearly was not the truth. He just didn't want to believe his brother was ignoring him.

As the young Uchiha came closer to his sibling, curious abysmal orbs couldn't help but wander that cream-colored expanse which had been left on display- Itachi didn't commonly leave so little to the imagination, as the younger boy still did, clad in his Sound-clothes, so Sasuke's intrigue got the better of him. Actually, the last time he had seen Itachi bare, he was still just a kid- It had been that long. Tonight must have been the exception to the rule, because right now Itachi's flesh was more on-display than the younger boy, with his exposed chest.

The boy would not admit this as anything more than simple curiosity, but slowly his dark eyes locked onto the naked areas of Itachi's body, indulging, since the elder was yet to even acknowledge his younger sibling. The downward-curving V-shaped crease in the muscles just below two jutting hipbones was much more defined on Itachi than it was on Sasuke, though it was half covered by the ebon material hanging just high enough to conceal the elder's more private areas. For that reason, Sasuke moved his stare upward from there, trying to hide his keen interest as his eyes beheld the smooth magnificence of his siblings cut abdomen, or what was visible of it, and not hidden under the crisp, white bandages still wrapped around the elder, due to his injury. Emerging just above the wrapping were the lines defining the older males ribcage, though he wasn't skinny by any means- There was just enough flesh and muscle on top of the individual bones to keep them from being seen, while the bending edge, etching the perfect skeletal rise was evident. Fixated eyes scanned upward, observing a robust chest, very much like the boy's own, which he flaunted, continuously advertising his own appeal, though he never touched the women that flocked to him. Enamored with the smallest features, much the same as he was with slight mannerisms, the teen's observances remained for a few extra seconds on the slight dip between the older male's collarbones before at last Sasuke's inky optics were scanning up over the tender flesh of his sibling's neck.

Sasuke would never admit to this aloud, but he knew what those women saw in his brother; The elder was defined, but not too bulky- perfectly ideal, even more so than the young male thought himself to be. But he wouldn't allow himself to linger on that.

As if waking from a dream, the boy snapped out of his contemplative state, and his eyes finally flickered up to focus on Itachi's pretty, doll-like face. To the teen's great dismay, he found his eyes immediately meeting with a devious red stare; His brother had been watching him the entire time, caught him in the act of staring, though luckily enough for Sasuke, the elder's visage held no trace of thought or feeling concerning it. Sasuke could assume that his brother was musing over it mentally, though the only response the heir gave was a momentary flash of crimson orbs down to Sasuke's exposed chest, then back up almost immediately. This was taken as anything but flattery, though nothing was spoken as of yet- Sasuke could just comment with sarcasm in his own head- Of course Itachi didn't need to look at him, the man had already made sure he looked the boy's entire naked body up and down after shamelessly proposing a challenge that involved Sasuke fighting without even clothes to cover him; It had been rather mortifying.

Frail hands with violet polished nails moved to close the open books and lay them to the side, as the elder was at last ready to give his undivided attention to his younger sibling. Ironically enough, now Sasuke wasn't exactly paying the greatest attention to Itachi, but rather, his focus had drifted curiously to the books, noting that one was the small black book from before, and the other appeared to be a hand-made sort, detailing astrological movements, and containing endless facts, should there be anything Itachi had yet to learn. Sasuke was not all that concerned, however, and his focus soon returned to his brother once Itachi began to speak.

"I see you made it here safely." Per usual the elder's voice was completely toneless, though he was devious in that, his intentions were to get some sort of rise out of Sasuke- This was his reference to his body guard, and the fact that the younger male most surely knew his secret now, the deep, dark factual matter; Itachi had sold himself. The traitorous heir had to know Sasuke was still seething in anger, that is, if he had insight enough to expect curiosity to strike the boy, and be aimed at the kunoichi he had encountered on the way up here. The resistant teen refused to break yet, set, still, on not giving in to his siblings mind games. He responded with a voice as equally detached as his brother's own. "..Yeah."

Hazy, near-sightless crimson optics stared up, struggling to focus, though Itachi did not show this but to a slight degree; His vision was quickly deteriorating, leaving him until he would be left in total darkness. Luckily for him, he wouldn't ever see that day. For now he shifted, reaching a thin hand out to smooth the now empty space upon the comforter, and the elder gestured, welcoming, as he offered his brother a seat.

"You can sit down, Sasuke."

The ex-Akatsuki appeared to be acting more shady than usual, or else he was just feeling worn down from the exertion of sexing up his little guard previous to now. He did seem as if he were hiding something, though that was a consistent sort of thing- The elder always, always had something to hide. The younger Uchiha was used to it by now; He was glad for it even. The colder his brother acted, the easier it was for him to just..not care.

Sasuke was unusually distracted again, intrigued, suspicious, and just downright uncomfortable- The cause of this anxiety was the wooden tray sitting just to the side stop the mattress. Placed upon the tray was the usual pot of tea in a quaint brown teapot, and two cups, along with a bento of some sort. With optics appearing just as hungry as the boy's energy-deprived body, and his empty stomach, he stared at the box, merely searching to see what was contained, and for no other reason; Within the sections was a variety, practically a full meal with a fair selection, and it seemed to be fresh, though it was untouched. The boy's mind, constantly looking for little pieces to his siblings torture methods, figured that this must have been one. Had Itachi also predicted that Sasuke wouldn't have money to even feed himself, and therefor put this food here just to cause further anguish? Just in the hopes of exploiting the young boy's clearest weaknesses. And undeniably the boy was even more bad-off after the immense stair climb, and the waste of chakra required to get past that blonde desert-dweller.

Despite knowing this had to be planned, Sasuke could not tear his vision from the food- There was a healthy helping of steamed vegetables and rice with umeboshi, then about half of a sushi roll, and teriyaki chicken mixed in with cooked mushrooms and broccoli. It certainly didn't seem like Itachi's meal of choice, since he tended to dwell on snacks, and sweets, and these clues reinforced the idea that this bento was here as a temptation. The teen remained unfazed, outwardly, wanting only to best Itachi in this battle of wit and tolerance of all sorts of suffering. He could not and would not fall prey to this, and allow the deceitful elder to get under his skin.

However, the young males stomach had other plans, and his gleaming charcoal optics visibly widened as a tell-tale growl was emitted from his unfed middle, and as it was so very obvious to hear, a hand hastily bolted up to cover his whining gut, hopeful that it may stifle the noise, and keep Itachi from noticing, though Sasuke knew his brother would never miss such an obvious sign of inner weakness. His line of sight flashed over to the heir's expressionless face, and as sure as daybreak and nightfall, the elder was staring back at Sasuke with a single brow raised, having heard the angry rumble quite clearly. Soulless, ruby doll-eyes flickered down to observe the pale appendage groping Sasuke's middle, and slowly they scanned back upward to halt on the boy's face, locked on the cold, black pools staring back.

Sasuke just knew what was coming, and oh, how he did dread it, as the seconds ticked in momentary silence, frozen. He wanted to stay locked in such a timeless vortex, so he didn't have to hear what his brother was about to say.

"I knew there must have been a reason for how gaunt you've become.." The elder's deep, and unconcerned voice spoke up, successfully cutting Sasuke down. "Did you forget to eat?" It was noticeable in his tone that his words were less mocking that Sasuke had expected them to be; He couldn't quite wrap his mind around any reason for that. It was as if Itachi was only very innocently questioning his sibling, with no malicious intent, whatsoever. But the teen did not wish to fall into any sort of trap. Itachi may have only been using this 'big brother' act because he was up to something even more sinister than the younger male had expected.

Hoping his response was enough to dodge the snare surely awaiting the vengeful Uchiha, he just scoffed to his sibling's question, ignoring it as if it had never been asked at all. After all, that was how Itachi usually avoided things; By simply pretending they did not exist. But, despite how the young male thought to pretend his bodies malfunction had not happened, he watched as his brother moved anyway, raising a dainty hand over to the tray to lift the bento up, and then it was offered to Sasuke.

To such a pretense of kindness, Sasuke turned his nose up with an irritated scowl, and growled like some kind of vicious dog, threatening to rip the elder's hand right off in a matter of seconds, was it not withdrawn to an area of safety. "I _don't_ want your food, Itachi." The boy kept his eyes turned away, not even looking at the gift being offered to him, refusing bitterly and with a child-like kind of stubbornness. He hated this- Who was Itachi to act like he actually cared about the deprived male's well-being!

"Don't worry.." The tricky older male spoke up softly, his voice different in a way Sasuke couldn't exactly place- The boy didn't want to, however, because the sound of it made him ill at his stomach, as if his hunger wasn't enough. "I wasn't going to eat it anyway, so you can take it from me without having to feel as if I truly gave you anything... It will just be wasted, otherwise.."

The bento was raised further by a slight degree, and pushed closer to Sasuke's side-turned face, so that the young Uchiha could smell the delicious scent, wafting up with the steam that still rose up from the warm teriyaki mixture. Such a temptation was irresistible, especially as Itachi phrased it in such a way that Sasuke wouldn't need to think of this as a blow to his fragile pride. He knew it was trickery, but he liked to think of it like so: It may have been a slight win for the elder, to push Sasuke into taking the bait, but.. At least now the boy wouldn't be completely drained, and therefor, he could dodge any other attempts to degrade him.

He turned his neutral face to the older male, taking the bento with a painful twist in the pit of his stomach; He would never know if that had been hunger or the shame of defeat. He was just glad it didn't happen for a second time as Itachi next handed him a pair of chopsticks.

The brothers sat in complete silence; Silence that Sasuke was incredibly thankful for as he let go, and idly ate the heavier substances firstly, hoping to weight down the empty pangs within his belly without making himself look ravenous. He still felt exceedingly uncomfortable eating right in front of his older brother; Eating Itachi's food that had been given to him, feeling just like that helpless child from so many years ago, falling to his precious _Aniki's_ protective embrace. It was pathetic, and Sasuke felt worthless for this. He had allowed his elder to acknowledge that he did not even have the means to keep himself fed- He despised Itachi for exploiting this weakness so effortlessly, and making Sasuke's inadequacies so very obvious. With every bite the teen took he only grew more irate.

While the boy's pace was slow, he had to stop, feeling as if he had forgotten to breath while he consumed the meal; That may have been the effects of his anxiousness. He looked up, wanting to see if Itachi was victoriously staring down at him, but to his surprise, the elder was not looking at him at all. No, his hands and attention were busied with pouring the tea into the small glasses accompanying the pot. As always, the younger male had to pause to admire his siblings gorgeous wrists only seconds before being intoxicated by the smell of sweet citrus. The elder had, once more, went to the trouble of acquiring the special tea, and while Sasuke could assume Itachi just shared an affinity for the flavor, he doubted that- His brother didn't share his likes or dislikes at all. In this manner, they always seemed to be complete opposites. It was not coincidence at all; Itachi only selected this beverage, specifically, because he knew Sasuke enjoyed it, and Sasuke could not afford the more expensive treats. Without Itachi's offerings he would never have such a special and favored drink.

The boy would just ignore his elder siblings unexplainable acts of kindness- He was sure there was some less-than-innocent reason for them. He contented himself, and his stomach, by devouring the fresh unagi sushi while Itachi wasn't paying him any attention. He thought, perhaps, the anger that had slowly been seething beneath his skin would dim out since his stomach was happily settling, joyous at having been fed. While a large dent was becoming evident in the pale grains, dark eyes shifted up a degree, watching Itachi almost suspiciously, never at ease. Itachi only seemed to be keeping his own mind appeased as he waited, a frail hand drawing the astrology book back in close, and opening it so the elder could read over a bit more of it in complete silence.

Only when Sasuke laid the emptied box to the side did Itachi's ruby eyes flicker back up, and then without a word he pushed his informative reading material away once more before moving a fumbling hand to open the night stand drawer, and he dug through it, clearly hunting for something. The teenage Uchiha watched, still feeling suspicious, and he resembled a untrusting feral creature as he narrowed his eyes, keeping them locked on the open drawer, waiting in suspense for Itachi's hand to reappear.

At last a small drawstring sack was pulled from the crevice, and instantly it was opened up, and with a soft jingling noise, a few shining coins were revealed, cradled within the palm of a thin hand. With swift precision he counted the money, the numbers forming subtly, silently on his soft lips as crimson optics scanned over each individual coin, then at last, in a most predictable fashion, he offered them to his younger sibling.

Sasuke stared with empty eyes as his brother tried to hand him the money, remaining silent and not even bothering to open his own hand to receive what was being given. Instead, his view moved from the petite hand up to a mostly blank visage, where he locked up eye-to-eye with Itachi, and gave him an unamused look of questioning, which, calmly, Itachi acknowledged, and spoke up concerning his intentions. His voice was a soft and gentle purr, but the words that came off his lips, Sasuke could hardly believe he had dared to say them.

"It's for you to buy food, Sasuke."

For one reason or another, hearing those words just served to prod the animosity Sasuke had already been feeling, and had felt his entire life, but as he was already fairly irked, this only served to thrust him over the edge into complete rage. Without batting a lash the younger male switched from seeming perfectly calm to being as venomous as an ill-tempered snake, and with a merciless slap Sasuke shoved Itachi's hand back, spilling the coins that had been offered all about the bed, some flying against the wall, and one even hit Itachi in the shoulder, though he didn't dare even flinch as he drew his hand in close, surely hoping to alleviate the stinging pulsing through his flesh.

A tense, still silence passed between the brothers, the only noise being the sharp clanging of a few stray coins hitting the floor, and rolling away, only becoming still when they at last lost all their kinetic force. Amazingly the older Uchiha just looked over at his little brother blankly, not even bothering to question the outburst as Sasuke's face wrinkled once more into a snarling mask, and his livid optics flashed crimson fury before he finally spoke up, his voice raised, and as sharp as a katana as he lashed out at his sibling.

"I don't need your _whore _money, Itachi, and I certainly don't need your fucking handouts! Don't you think I can take care of myself, since you made sure I only had myself to rely on from an early age! You, of all people, should have a little faith in my ability!"

Cooly, the older male just moved to stash the sack back in the drawer he had pulled it from, seeing that his younger brother clearly did not wish to accept any more of his kindness. He just acted as if the outburst had not occurred, or at least it had not effected him. Certainly, it had not phased him, and with a completely calm exterior he reached out for his book, and he turned crimson pools back to those delicate pages as he spoke up, merely stating a simple observance; A request for peace. "You seem rather bitter tonight. It's funny- You look much more rested than usual, yet your acting unnecessarily grouchy, aren't you? You should calm down; I was only trying to be nice to you."

Who did Itachi think he was? In a second outburst, brought on by the simplistic insult contained within the older male's words, Sasuke grabbed up his sibling's book by the pages, crumpling them in his fist, and ripping the fragile paper as he hurled it across the room, letting it slap with a loud 'thud' against the wall. Itachi; He thought he could speak of the past, and completely belittle the boy by offering his filthy resources, and act as if it was merely a gesture of generosity, and dare to ask Sasuke to calm down when the mocking got to him? He was out of his mind. Brutal sharingan flashed over to see the book on the floor, and then they flickered back to Itachi, staring in a challenging way, Sasuke hoping he could stir his sibling up, and they could simply fight this out at last, ending the tiring struggle. But no, Itachi only watched as his precious possession flopped haphazardly to the unforgiving floor, letting faintly questioning ruby eyes linger on the now-battered item as if he were analyzing this happening, and trying to figure out the cause of it, as though Sasuke truly had no reason for his actions; As if Sasuke had no reason to spit in the elder's face right now.

In the end Itachi chose not to rebel as Sasuke had hoped for, and instead he just sighed, turning back to look at his testy younger sibling. It was only a momentary glance, because he soon gave a soft nod of the head, letting his eyes fall restfully shut, and he spoke up in the very same low purr of a voice, his tone sounding as if he viewed this entire matter as being completely uncomplicated; Sounding as if he were speaking to some child who needed some comforting. "..I see... This isn't about the clan or the possibility that I may have been belittling you... This is about you, and your jealously now."

With that irritatingly calm mask of a face, Itachi successfully stabbed back while still keeping his perfect reserve. His verbal attack did seem meager, like a delicately laid out insult meant to pass over before causing any true damage, yet at the same time, with Sasuke's temper, Itachi had to know the effects his simple words would have.

In a flash of movement the younger Uchiha threw himself forward, clutching the elder by his cloak and slamming him back against the headboard, without Itachi even putting up a fight. Itachi made no move but to open his crimson eyes back, and stare at the boy threatening him now. The fact that he remained so still as he was thrown around served only to enrage the boy further- Had he no fear for his God forsaken life? Did he not believe Sasuke would cut their little game short right here and now?

"I'm _not_ jealous.." Sasuke's voice had once more lowered itself to a dangerous growl as he glared into his siblings equally dangerous optics, completely unafraid. "The fact of the matter is that you sicken me- You're a pathetic excuse for a human being, you wretched, useless slut! ..And furthermore, how dare you treat me as if I'm lesser than you simply because I'm not living such a comfortable existence as yourself, when the only reason behind this is the fact that you're selling yourself.."

"That isn't how I make my way.." Never changing, no matter how dire the situation, calm crimsons stared up into Sasuke's own fiery ones, and with not a touch of indignation the elder went about defending himself, treating the situation as if it were nothing but a misunderstanding, and now he was reassuring his lost little sibling. "..But to make sure our trysts are never disturbed, I do what I have to do."

"Tch." The younger male scoffed, his brows still knitted together, wrinkling the skin between them as his ferocity pulsed through him like a drug, blinding him and completely absorbing him in the anger of the moment. Wishing to squeeze the life out of the elder, dainty fingers trailed up to Itachi's neck, and they clasped around the delicate column of flesh, squeezing lightly at first as the young male wasn't quite bold enough yet to make any attempts to completely strangle Itachi to death. Like always, he knew there was a certain point that Itachi would stop allowing this, so he was sure to not break past it.. Not yet. "You just trick foolish kunoichi into dying in your place, and all for sex! And they will die if they face any member of Akatsuki, and you know it, but you had rather save your own skin!"

The elder's lips parted, but not yet to speak, as doing so would have been slightly more difficult with the younger boy's fingers wrapped around his neck; He was cut off from speech, and very close to having his breathing restricted. Sasuke could feel every difficult breath beneath his fingertips as Itachi struggled for it, but for now he loosened his grip, allowing his sibling to communicate at the very least, even if his words would surely cause the younger boy to tighten his grip once again; Perhaps Itachi would consider those words more carefully.

"Don't be absurd.." Saying very little at first, Itachi paused, taking a few deep breaths now that he had that freedom once again; The younger male found a touch of patience in watching his sibling whose eyes were shut again now, long doll-lashes caressing his pink tinted cheeks. He did seem like some sort unrealistic beauty, with perfect, almost-painted skin, and glassy eyes beneath those long, dark lashes, and that damned face that never held any expression, just like a doll that sat lifelessly staring. It was maddening, and haunting, but so very beautiful all at once.

After a few moments of silence the elder spoke up again, finishing his thoughts verbally. "I only obtain guards when I know you'll be here with me, and no other time than that. When you're not around I rely solely on myself and nobody else."

The young male was silent at this suggestion, contemplating the meaning behind it. Sasuke didn't yet bother trying to decipher in his mind whether to accept this as truth or a lie, but his busied himself with understanding what his brother was trying to say. Itachi only acquired that extra degree of security when Sasuke was around? Was that to suggest it was for the younger male's protection over the elder's? Yeah right, the teen would believe that the day the sun ceased to shine. Regardless, he let his hands slip away from his sibling, releasing him completely before he slid back into the area he had been sitting before his outburst. His movements were lethargic, as if the thought of Itachi caring for him was some sort of illness that held him down. His head lowered, and he turned his vision to the side, staring off at the wall, unfocused, and practically in a daze as his sharingan faded. Unconsciously he still found himself muttering softly, "You're a liar... That's all you'll ever be."

A couple of minutes passed- This time they didn't feel quite so awkward, but rather, they were comfortable in the grip of silence. Both brothers needed the short lapse of time to rinse everything away, or, at least Sasuke knew he did. But he was forced to look up when he heard his elder sigh lowly, and he noticed those pink lips parted, with words poised just on the tip of the elder's tongue, ready to slip out.

"Why are you so angry, Sasuke?" Itachi didn't look at the younger male as he spoke, because for now his optics were rested on the small cups of tea he had filled up. They had cooled slightly now, and he reached a petite hand out, lifting one steaming cup from the tray, and it remained gripped between delicate fingers as his crimson orbs finally turned to the boy, questioning, and hesitant. "Do you want this..?", he began, "Or will you insist on acting childishly and throw it against the wall if I offer it to you?"

Itachi received a glare in response from the younger male, but Sasuke had settled himself now, just letting his siblings condescending words roll off of him as calmly as the heir spoke them. He supposed he couldn't stop Itachi from that manner of speaking, so no amount of anger, nor any displays of frustration would accomplish anything at this point. He reached a peaceful hand out to accept the gesture of kindness, and carefully the glass was slid into Sasuke's grasp, the older male delicately doing so in order to make sure he didn't spill any of the steaming fluid onto his younger sibling's skin. The boy pulled his hand away, the beverage securely in his grip, and as his appendage retreated the elder's fingertips brushed down the boy's thin digits, though Sasuke gave no reaction to it. The teen pulled the warm drink in close to himself, watching the twirling steam rise up from it, and he remained motionless as the humid warmth caressed his skin and hit his cheeks. After a skip in time Sasuke at last brought the tiny glass to his lips, and he took a sip, reveling in the faintly bitter taste of the tea, masked by the sweet citrus. Content with this pleasant treat, the boy kept to himself in silence, just steadily sipping at the exquisite beverage and waiting until the moment that Itachi actually broke the soundless ring consuming the open air between the four walls surrounding the brothers.

"I'm rather disappointed.." The elder's voice was smooth, and toneless as ever, though the disappointment he spoke of was still apparent, somehow. Perhaps it was a piece of that connection the siblings once shared returning to Sasuke, and with that touch of divinity, Sasuke could see it. But he just watched as his older brother reached over once more, and took the other cup in his hands, not yet drinking from it, but instead he stared down into the murky surface, putting his words together in his mind again before finishing. "I thought we had been making progress.."

With eyes filled with disgust, Sasuke just scoffed at his brother's words, not wanting to even give him the hope for anything beyond their hateful relationship. He barely looked up from his cup in such a glare, because conversing with the elder politely was not worth his time. He did respond with more than just his mocking noises, though his words only served to further emphasize his distaste concerning Itachi.

"What is that supposed to mean? I hope you aren't in reference to our relationship- I said from the very beginning that nothing would change, no matter what, and really nothing has. The only thing you have managed to adjust about my feelings toward you is that I have even more reason to despise you.. You killed my family. You left me with nothing. You raped me, and now you live like a common prostitute... That is the only progress we've made.. Stop fooling yourself."

The young teens eye's shut as his expression was very matter-of-fact, and he continued to drink his tea, undaunted by his siblings unrealistic perception of reality. Itachi, however, did not yet take a drink from his own beverage; He seemed more content to just stare at his reflection on the liquid surface, rippling it every now and then with a very slight movement.

"You just can't make up your mind.." The elder male spoke up, his voice tinged with a very melancholy tone this time around, and that alone was enough to grab Sasuke's attention. "You don't know what it is you truly want.."

Unsure of what Itachi meant, once again, Sasuke blinked and went to work on the task of deciphering his words- He hated when his brother spoke so obscurely. Itachi could not have been speaking of the fact that he was still alive, because the teen had already made sure he knew the delay was only for the reason of knowledge; Itachi had information Sasuke wanted, and after he got that, then he would kill his traitorous elder. Perhaps Itachi had meant the softness Sasuke allowed to pass over him, at one time, though it was quickly replaced once again by the young male's ever persistent hatred. It had been a lapse, and that was all it was. The sheer torment in the boy's realization that Itachi was not completely heartless; The reality that the kind elder brother he knew was still there. It was that childhood fear, those childhood emotions, the deep attachment he had for his sibling, his dear, cherished Nii-san.

"_Nii-san...What will happen if I say something about it on accident?"_

_Sasuke could almost cringe from the way his question cause his brother to halt in his footsteps, his body rigid and tense. Itachi was silent, as if thinking of what the answer to this was; Sasuke feared what that would be. When the elder spoke up his voice was calm, and to-the-point._

"_...I could be killed..."_

_Sasuke whimpered, and wrapped his arms around his brother that much tighter. Itachi started to walk again, and Sasuke whispered softly against his shoulder. "I understand, Nii-san."_

That time was long gone, now, and Sasuke could never let the past stand in the way of the future. He had decided what path he wished to take, and he would never waver from it, and risk becoming lost. With a fair understanding of what Itachi was trying to tell him, the boy just sighed, unaffected. "Maybe not.." The young male spoke up calmly. "..But I know what I have to do, and in the end, that will be what is done, and then.. This will all be finished."

As whatever hesitance Itachi had been feeling passed, he lifted the cup up, and at last drank from it, his lashes grazing his cheeks for a moment as he closed his eyes, then opened them back after he lowered his cup. Those ruby optics were looking at the young male once they were revealed- Staring right through the boy. "Before.. I hadn't been trying to belittle you, Sasuke... I know you can keep yourself alive, but.. Anything I have to offer you.. You deserve it all, that is, after everything you've been through to get this far.. Anything else that causes you inner turmoil, you shouldn't waste your time caring anymore... It is as you've said. Soon it will all be repaid, one way or another.. Soon this will all be over, and you won't have to worry.. I'll be dead. Indulge yourself with the pleasure you draw off that knowledge.."

The elder fell silent, pressing his lips to the rim of his cup once more to take a drink, and the younger Uchiha just watched quietly, feeling any ability to speak leaving him. Hearing Itachi speak of dying felt.. So very different. And to add to that, Itachi wasn't done; He still had more to add to the words that had already left Sasuke speechless.

"..But realize.. I do nothing in favor of saving my own skin. I never have.. And with such little time left, it is safe to say.. I never will."

With a start, Sasuke furiously began shaking his head, his raven bangs slapping against his forehead from the movement, and angrily he glared at his sibling. He did not believe the words he was hearing- He could not believe he was truly witnessing his elder speak as if he were resigned to death; Never would Uchiha Itachi just lay down and let himself die. Sasuke knew better! This must have been some sort of deception, some way Itachi intended to get into the younger boy's head, and weaken him. It was simply one of his many deceptions.

"You're lying!" The young male growled his response lowly, showing his complete disbelief, without question. Despite this determined front, however, Itachi persisted just as much, completely set on convincing Sasuke that he spoke the truth.

"There is no reason for me to hide the truth from you any longer. You achieved the strength you so desired, and all because of my influence.. But now my part in that is finished, and I can allow you to know everything I've ever done.. Was for you. There is only one task left for you to complete... And you can accomplish it with no assistance from me."

"Just.. Shut up." Sasuke could hardly take what his sibling was saying to him- It was too hard to hear this after having lived his life in hatred. He sat his glass down, one hand clutching his skull as he started feeling strangely faint, having to listen to his brother speak to him like this. Itachi was just trying to weaken him. That had to be what this was about, and though Sasuke knew, he _knew_, he still couldn't help it.. He was falling for it.. He bit down hard on his lip, his entire body shaking from the mass of emotion coursing through him- He couldn't take this.

He soon felt movement, however, and like a cornered prey-animal he whipped his head up to face the predator now inching forward. He could see his siblings intentions in those blood red eyes of his- The elder had used his words to weaken the boy, and now he would take advantage of him. He hadn't changed a bit since the night he hypnotized Sasuke.

The soft rocking movement transferring through the mattress surface had the boy gasping, wanting to sink away, but not finding it in himself to do so- No, he couldn't back down from Itachi; He could not allow himself to look so weak.

"S-Stay back!" The young Uchiha stuttered a warning, trying to make his voice sound fierce, though his unsteady nerves ruined his attempts. Defiantly, Itachi ignored the growls, and glares, and did exactly what he wanted, as always, continuing his steady crawl forward until he was directly in front of his little brother, sparing not an inch of extra space between them.

The boy could feel his siblings warmth rushing across his skin, collecting just on the surface of his clothes, burning, and intending to turn the wrapping hiding his flesh to ash. He felt he could not even breathe with Itachi so near to him, and the adrenal rush flowing in his veins hindered his responses, yet he was too lost in the chemical high to notice all that much. Still Sasuke did not back down; He would not allow himself to turn away, but he did nothing to deter the elder beyond lashing out verbally. "Stay away from me!" The teen thought quickly, reminding himself of how the last thing he needed to do was allow Itachi to touch him now, like he was surely about to do; After all, the traitorous heir had been around the block, and Sasuke could remain securely hidden within his disgust. "Sex-addicted bastard, you're not getting anything from me! ..Just stick to your kunoichi whores, and keep your hands off me!"

He had warned his sibling with utter seriousness, the hatred flowing from his pores, and he perceived himself as looking battle-ready as he glared, yet as he lashed out with his sharp tongue he watched Itachi's hand raise up, ignoring him completely. The boy followed the frail appendage as it slowly ascended, coming forward, and at last ended up placed against the exposed skin of the younger male's chest, fingertips tracing curiously along the pale surface, surveying the smooth, warm skin that was stretched over taut musculature. A wave of chills spread from the area Itachi first laid his hand, outward, and still looking down at the appendage sensually caressing his skin, Sasuke's lips parted as if he meant to say something further, though nothing came out but a jolted exhale.

With a sly smile, because he knew so well that his sibling could not resist this sinful touch, Itachi leaned in that much closer. The weakened teenager thought surely his siblings lips would meet his neck as the elder's breath rushed against the sensitive column of flesh, and resigned to that notion, Sasuke was almost disappointed when Itachi only moved to whisper into his ear, his other hand coming up now so that those teasing fingertips could trace along the boy's jaw line.

"Do you believe what you're saying? You should already know.. I get no enjoyment from being with those women.. Each and every time I've been with somebody, I only feel as if I've lost another piece of my dwindling soul.. Because.. It's never you, Sasuke."

Finishing his words, the elder drew back only slightly; Just enough so that his lips were hovered with the slightest fraction of open air separating him from his beloved sibling. Sasuke acknowledged the meaning behind this, though he gulped nervously, utterly intoxicated by his older brother's close proximity- This was his chance to defend himself. He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to turn his head away, though the hand upon his face gently held him in place, not allowing him to escape.

"Oh..?" Sasuke spoke up, his voice weak, and his tone very unpersuasive. "You mean you didn't get enough when I was little..? You want more now, you.. Sick bastard." Sasuke's last few words were spoken far too quietly, and it could only be perceived that he had given up on fighting, though Itachi was still kind enough to let him finish with his pointless attempts at defense.

With a slight tilt of his head the elder closed to gap, resting his lips most delicately against his younger sibling's, parting them and waiting for the opportunity to slowly suck the younger Uchiha's breath away. It didn't take long for the teen to succumb, and Itachi was given what he wanted- The feel of Sasuke's lips opening with a shaking exhale, at last fully resigned, and it was then that the kiss was truly sealed, the elder pushing forward just a bit more, still very carefully, very gently handling this intimate moment, locking their lips together with just the softest kiss at first. The hand on the boy's face trailed up, thin fingers lacing in the ebony spikes, the padded fingertips stroking encouragingly as the very tip of the elder's tongue slid out to flicker across the parted seam of Sasuke's mouth, politely waiting until it was joined by another slick muscle, which shyly examined it's new companion. Loosely the moist appendages moved against one another for the first real time ever, and the young teen let a small, helpless sound mixed between pleasure and confusion out amidst the passionate but gentle kiss.

But Itachi did not wish to overwhelm his sibling, so he pulled away shortly into the display of affection and lust. The teen noticed, even through starry eyes, that the heir still did not put a great amount of space between them- He was still comfortable letting his baby brother bask in his warmth. And speaking of that heated presence, Sasuke had to wonder if it was having his elder so close that caused the burning sensation passing across his cheeks; He'd never felt such a degree of intensity as he felt now, with Itachi inches away from him. He had fallen into his brother's trap, and he had simply sat still while the elder defiled him with that wretched tongue of his, and still he was doing nothing but sitting here wrapped up in his stunned silence. He knew he had to say something, he had to object somehow, though finding the words was difficult. He turned his head now that he was free from his sibling's grasp, and he looked elsewhere as he condemned their actions. "Th-that was..so wrong."

Glassed ruby eyes stared at the younger boy, wishing to meet with a pair of darker optics, but that moment never came. Itachi seemed willing enough to not push and shove the teen, though, so he remained in his state of patience. Sasuke was very still but incredibly wary as he felt his elder lean in closer, his body pliable once soft fingers turned him to face forward again. He must have looked pathetic- Like a pleading puppy begging his master not to hit him anymore. He thought like nothing else that Itachi was going to take him into an aggressive kiss, finally frustrated with the boy's hesitance, then bend him over and fuck him, and.. He would probably let him. But what the boy expected never came to pass, and instead of aggression, Itachi only came in for a tiny peck upon those reddened lips, and then backed off, looking at Sasuke with a typical expressionless stare.

"Shall we get this over with, then?" Itachi's voice was soft, and he seemed disappointed- But Sasuke could now take a deep, relieved breath, no longer nervous that he may lose his control.

Breathing in the fresh, cool air, the younger Uchiha remained frozen for a moment, his brain moving very slow and he felt as if he were utterly behind now, racing to catch up. At first he wasn't sure what his brother was speaking of, and while his first guess was sexual, he moved along to his secondary suspicion, soon figuring out that Itachi, of course, was speaking of their game- The game that had taken them this far without killing either of them, though tonight it was certain to be the elder's demise.

Sasuke nodded to his older brother, speaking low and simply, still somewhat shell shocked from his elder's display of desire. "..Yeah."

"The what is it you have in mind for me tonight, Sasuke?"

Itachi spoke so simply, it almost gave the younger male a shiver- If only the traitor had known how calmly he was requesting a_ death sentence_. Steadied fingers dipped beneath the sash at his waist and he drew his very last kunai. This was the one he had been saving-It had a special purpose in the young shinobi's mind, and that was why it had been sharpened to perfection. The razored edges of the blade even had a special cover placed over them so it could not cut into the teen Uchiha's clothes as he carelessly stashed it beneath his belt, and a thin red ribbon had been tied in a delicate bow upon the handle.

Sasuke stared down at the silvery, metallic surface, catching a glint of sharingan eyes reflecting back as they also observed the sharp device; The crimson coloration suited the weapon nicely, just as the blood that would soon be coating the etched weapon. Sasuke looked up, following his brother's line of sight as he laid the tool in front of him, watching as the heir gazed into his death.

"I want you to take my kunai... And kill yourself with it."

The boy was almost vacant as he studied his brother, watching as if through a pane of glass, focused on trying to figure out what was going through Itachi's head as he just looked down at the kunai, contemplating. It was strange and almost maddening how he remained so blank, and so utterly calm, engrossed in whatever thoughts were occupying his twisted mind. Maybe he was inwardly complimenting his younger sibling's cleverness; Sasuke could no longer request to murder the elder himself, and so, he had found a way around that. He supposed having his own blade plunged into his sibling's body was just as well, even if it was by the elder's hand. It removed the comfort Itachi could find in knowing he didn't have to will himself to take his own life, and the fact that the kunai belonged to Sasuke still let the younger male feel like he had claim over the kill.

For a bit the scene remained completely still, both brother's locked in deep thought, up until a graceful hand swept out and collected the shinobi tool from atop the mattress. A small smile slipped over Sasuke's still-swollen lips as he quietly watched his brother look at the blade, feeling the weight of it in his hand before he tucked it into one of his hidden cloak-pockets.

"Very well.." Itachi nodded as he spoke up, his voice still very low, but seeming incredibly confident. That fact alone gave Sasuke a surge of dread. "I will do as you ask.. But only if..." Itachi paused, causing the younger boy to lean forward slightly, on edge and anxious as he noticed a small tug at the corner of the elder's lips- The loudest, and yet the most subtle sign of coming mischief. "You can get yourself off while only thinking of me.."

The boy was silent, abysmal eyes staring, aghast, the breath caught in the back of his throat as he took in his sibling's words, just knowing there was more from the way the heir paused, licking his lips with the tip of his tongue while never losing that tiny hint of a smile. "And.. You must tell me everything you're envisioning aloud, so I will know."

Sasuke- He didn't know why he hadn't expected something of this nature, and like a fire doused in water, his surprise was quickly drowned in the expertise concerning the elder's more mischievous side. That, and the reminder of how desensitized Sasuke was to something such as this. As a challenge, this would be of little difficulty; He had been doing just this before he showed up, and he had no reason to care any longer what his brother saw. Itachi had already caught the teen in the act once before, and made it a point to view Sasuke's nude body for an extended period of time; What did the young Uchiha have to hide now?

His head was lowered, but only to hide the smile that was steadily printing itself on the boy's lips; To hide his complete and total amusement at how _easy_ this was going to be. But while he was looking down, he decided it was a fair time to begin loosening the sash at his waist, first removing his weapon, and laying it off beside the bed on the floor. The belt soon followed, leaving the silky white material splayed even more open than usual.

Decidedly, the silence was broken by an almost inaudible bou0t of laughter, a sound that was soft but still maniacal. It was followed by a voice that held a remarkably pleased tone. "That.. Was a bad choice, Itachi."

The elated aura was maintained as the elder remained perfectly poised, as if Sasuke posed no threat to him now, and rather than fretting in what seemed like the declaration of his doom, he just allowed himself to be content with the open and willing reception of his request. His lusting smirk remained as flaring red eyes watched the boy begin disrobing. "Yes, I suppose you are right.. This is something you've done before, isn't it?"

Another small, malice-tainted laugh was emitted from the younger boy, and he now basked proudly in something he typically found extremely shameful and embarrassing; Never before had he expected this to be in his favor. "It is, you know that.." He paused, giving his brother a look as if to ask, 'have you really forgotten?'. "You've..seen me doing it once before.. I know better than to think you've forgotten about it, though it had been my hopes that you didn't realize what was going on.."

Feeling summoned once more by his urges, Itachi inched forward again, smoothly taking up his position just before Sasuke, and reaching delicate fingers up, he trailed soft fingertips along the younger male's silky skin as the haori was brushed from Sasuke's shoulders. The teen remained focused on his brother's face, charcoal eyes locked on the engrossed sharingan as they stared elsewhere. Itachi's head was tilted slightly, and he was looking hard at the pale expanse which was now revealed, saving the image like a precious thing in his memory. His attention was most caught up on a single alabaster shoulder, and the upward curve into the younger boy's swan-like neck. Purple-polished fingernails were lifted unconsciously to trail along the porcelain surface, admiring and worshiping the tiny area of the teen's gorgeous body in a most tender fashion.

The elder refocused his concentration soon enough, though, rewarding Sasuke's patience with the fact that he had not missed a single word the boy had said, and Itachi spoke up, his words to the point, clearly wishing to get started with this deadly game they played. "But you never finished that night.. Nor was I rewarded with the revelation of just what _kinds of things _you imagined us doing."

The crisp white material of the haori was shoved off into the floor just as it was removed, along with the discarded sash, and wishing to feel that intense heat from Itachi's body once again, for the first time Sasuke was the one to push impossibly closer, copying his siblings actions. He was almost shy as his finger's trailed questioningly along the red hem of the cloak draped around the older Uchiha, but with a slight nod of Itachi's head the cloak was slid off the heir's broad shoulders and dropped to pool around him as Sasuke's eyes shut, and intoxicated, he bowed his head in order to place a kiss to his brother's neck.

An enraptured sigh was breathed out along with a faint utterance of '..Sasuke..' in response to the satin lips trailing up the sensitive flesh of the older male's neck, and the reserved, yet hungry kisses trailed up until the boy was nestled just beneath the heir's chin, and it was then that he drew back slightly, only to come in once more with the intent to engage his older brother's sweetly venomous tongue again, so very sinfully. However, Sasuke was stopped short by interfering fingertips being pressed to his lips.

"I though you said this was wrong." Itachi spoke up, sounding most clear in the obviousness of a statement, but underneath the appearance was a question in need of answering- A man who lacked any true will to end this, but merely wanted to find out his brother's thoughts, and whether they laid with lust or some sort of deceitful vengeance.

Hazy, and too lost for true thought, Sasuke just stared at his curious sibling, though he obliged the older male with an answer to the hidden questioning in his words. "This entire situation is wrong, but.. We're doing it anyway.." It should have been clear- For now Sasuke had one thing on his mind, and that was satisfaction that had nothing to do with revenge. His voice was too soft and laced with longing he could no longer deny. "We may as well do this to."

Loose, and content with the answer received, the heir's fingers slid away from his siblings lips, and moved down over the young male's neck, his shoulder, and arm, all the way to his hand, which he clasped, lifting it so that it laid against his naked chest. "Touch me, Sasuke."

Itachi was only able to speak those three words before his little brother at last came in for the kiss he had intended to steal before he was halted from doing so. More sure than last time, Sasuke's head turned to the side as he fit his lips perfectly to his older sibling's, his mouth already opened slightly as he met his brother's willing lips with a wet smack, their lips closing around one another's with the slightest noise of suction and saliva. Then, fluidly both brother's parted their lips again, each breathing for the other before the older male pressed the tip of his tongue forward, between the seam of the younger's lips, being openly received with a slight suckle before Sasuke pushed his own tongue forward to mingle with his brother's as their lips locked tightly together.

The hand placed upon the older male's chest moved slowly downward, taking in the smooth, rolling feel of the muscles beneath his skin, before delicately sliding over the cottony bandages. Once the boy's fingers touched the covered wound the heir groaned lowly against his sibling's lips, clearly a reaction to the pain he was feeling from the touch, but it was no objection, merely so Sasuke knew that if he was too rough then such a touch could become very painful. To this the boy tenderly stroked the damaged area, trying to make amends for his carelessness, and at the same time he closed his lips to kiss his brother more sweetly, affectionately, though it was just a quick apology. His fingers soon moved lower, tracing along the defined lines as his brother's abdomen, giving a fair amount of attention to the creases angling down from the older male's hips to just where his pants cut off the exploration.

The siblings pulled apart very hesitantly, and just as briefly for a breath, and then they came right back together, both anxious to taste the other's tongue once more, those slick muscles now aggressively pushing against one another. Teasing, Sasuke's fingers delved into his older brother's pants, getting an almost _excited_ gasp out of the heir, though the young teen only moved his digits back and forth beneath the hem, tickling the soft flesh that laid just beneath, and going no further yet. Instead they soon began their ascent back up to Itachi's chest, careful to dodge his injuries as they did so. In the meantime, the teen's free hand found its way to the tie in Itachi's hair, and it was pulled away, freeing the obsidian tresses, so that they fell upon the older man's shoulders. As if in a less-than-impressed response, Itachi cut off the kiss, leaving Sasuke looking up at him very frustrated. The pout was rewarded with a small smile, though, and the elder lowered his lips back down to his brother's, sensually sucking at Sasuke's lower lip before this caused the boy to part his lips in request for deeper inspection. Itachi was more than willing to oblige, and his tongue was thrust into his sibling's mouth, exploring the expanse of the forbidden cave, pushing inside as far as it could reach until the young male whimpered from the overpowering invasion, and struggled to push back, and return his elder's tongue to it's own home, following it so the boy could taste the hidden depths of his older sibling's sin-ridden mouth, needing his own moment of dominance against his big brother.

Once Sasuke had invaded the heir's heated cavern, however, he felt as if he had been trapped in some sort of snare- A hand came up to grasp his chin as the older Uchiha's lips closed around the young boy's wet appendage. Unsurely, Sasuke drew his tongue back, though he was quickly given a soft, reassuring kiss as the elder brother tilted his head just a bit more, and very slowly moved the tip of his tongue along the sealed opening. This drew the young Uchiha back in, and he opened his lips back, meeting the expert tongue with his own inexperienced one. Baiting, the elder lured Sasuke's saliva-coated muscle back into his mouth, and closed his lips around it once more, though this time the boy didn't draw back in confusion; Instead, as Itachi pushed further forward, seeking the rest of the length, Sasuke knowingly gave in, and let his tongue slide further into his brother's slick grasp. Without thought a moan was allowed to escape as Itachi suckled at the young boy's tongue, moving back and forth on the slippery appendage, filling the room with only the wet sound of suction, and stifled reactions. The hand still caressing the older male's chest moved along a raised bud of flesh, and it was trapped between two thin fingers as they moved back and forth, excitedly, in time with the erotic tongue sucking.

The depraved and lusty kiss was at last broken, and both brothers found themselves panting for air, having forgotten all about breathing in the exchange. The younger of the two came back in near after a moment, and gave his sibling one last little kiss before moving away a bit, needing some space in order to shed the rest of his clothes, and get started on his challenge since he was so utterly beyond turned on at this point. Questioning fingers did pause to touch his swollen lips, examining the tingling, reddened flesh as if to ask 'did that really just happen?'

The daze came to an end very quickly, and not wanting the sheer high he was feeling from all the natural pleasure chemicals to fade, he moved nimble fingers readily to his pants, unbuttoning them and sliding them off rather modestly, despite himself. Now fully exposed, he threw his last shred of covering down to the floor, no longer needing it anyway, as it was obvious even through his pants that he was embarrassingly hard already, and just from having his siblings tongue interlaced with his own. He was sure Itachi was exceedingly proud of himself for this achievement. With a soft sigh the young male spread his legs wide for his depraved sibling to see, and at such a sight even Itachi was made to visibly shudder. Sasuke was giving his elder something he wanted, but at the same time he knew he was still tormenting his brother- Shamelessly Sasuke had exposed himself; His throbbing member, those plump jewels, and his tight, virgin pucker, but due to the challenge, Itachi could not go to the full lengths that it was sure he so desired at this current moment. He was stuck wishing.

The young male watched Itachi closely, but after getting a proper eyeful, the elder Uchiha just shifted those passionate red eyes up to gaze at Sasuke with curiosity. The boy returned the questioning stare, wondering what the hell Itachi could be inwardly questioning. It was incredibly obvious that the heir would verbalize this internal inquiry, though- The younger boy could see it, even in his very slight expression.

"So.. Sasuke?" Itachi spoke up, snapping his sibling from his expectant gaze. Impatiently the boy now gave his sibling an irritated look, wishing to move along. This was why Sasuke sounded faintly aggravated when he baited his sibling's question. "What is it, Itachi?"

Finally giving the boy some insight, the elder's lips curled into a faint smirk as his eyes glinted mischievously, and that same impatience Sasuke was feeling reflected itself in the older Uchiha's tense body language. Clearly he also wished to make this quick. "You didn't lie to me before, did you? ..When I asked if you enjoyed the feel of me beneath you?"

Having not expected such a question, though he truly should have learned to expect the unexpected with his elder brother, Sasuke glanced off for a moment, feeling an embarrassing warmth brushing itself upon his cheeks as his lips parted to speak, but remained paused while he came up with the proper words. The answer was an obvious one, in his mind, but saying it aloud was infinitely difficult. "..No.." The young teen finally spoke up, answering simply at first, but knowing he was going to have to elaborate, much to his dismay. He saw no reason to hold back now, after everything that had happened, so he just let it go. "I didn't lie.. I had just.. Always imagined myself... Beneath you."

Such words came with immense difficulty, and Itachi cruelly showed no sympathy as he snickered lowly at his baby brother's revelation. The elder was amused by the child-like shame he still caught here and there in his vengeful sibling, and knowing this, Sasuke kept his head turned away from the elder. It was when Itachi now came forward to bridge the gap that Sasuke hid his eyes from view. It was clear Itachi felt himself very capable of bringing Sasuke back out of his shell, though.

"Is that so?" Itachi purred seductively as his fingertips trailed along his siblings milky white thighs, forcing the boy's attention to turn back to him as the younger male shivered at the contact. Sasuke's breath caught up in the back of his throat for a moment before he gasped, feeling very shameful that his traitorous body was becoming so very excited from this simple touch, though even beyond his embarrassment he could do nothing but watch with attentive anxiousness as Itachi's thin fingers steadily moved higher and higher upon those splayed thighs. Just as always, Sasuke could not be sure of what his elder brother planned to do. It only became somewhat clear that the elder was teasing now when a fingertip traced along the young boy's virgin pucker, moving in a slow circle. The teen had no control over the way his hips pushed out, forcing pressure against that finger, hoping to swallow it up, and be given a bit more pleasure by it; It just happened, and his hands moved out behind him to hold his body up as his legs spread further apart. The frail digit was moved away, not necessarily being removed, but it trailed upward, being joined by the rest of the elder's delicate fingers, and with just the slightest amount of friction, they slid up along the underside of Sasuke's hardened member, slipping wetly in the precum-wet skin.

"Nnn, Itachi!" The young Uchiha had to focus in order to keep his breathing regulated, even after the very slight amount of attention he had received. With some difficulty Sasuke found his bolder side, and at last looked his brother in the eye again. "You.. You'll only be helping me if you do that.."

With a mysterious smile- One of the ones that was extremely small and hard to identify, the elder spoke up, a very fond sort of glimmer in his ruby optics. He was extremely amused right now; Amused and aroused, Sasuke would expect. "It's alright.. I don't mind."

Sasuke wasn't sure he could wrap his mind around this response- Itachi was aiding him in becoming insanely aroused, and such could be the elder's demise, and Itachi.. Didn't mind? Was the elder that confident in himself or was it that he lacked confidence in Sasuke? Did he have some sort of fool-proof backup plan here? Or was it that.. He truly just didn't care? It did seem as if he had everything to lose at this particular moment, but he was still calm and nonchalant.

The boy just tried not to think about it. It was part of his siblings mystery that he may never understand. So now, while still feeling a bit shy, but quickly overcoming it, the young male reached a hand out, hooking a single finger in the waistband of his elder sibling's pants. "Itachi..? while I do this, are you going to as well?"

This time around the elder male's smile was much more apparent, but that was because of the completely devious appearance of it. The teen Uchiha almost dreaded what Itachi had in mind to say, just from the way he was smirking. But the smirk faded away almost as soon as it had appeared, leaving Itachi with nothing but a hint of a grin as he parted his lips to speak, his eyes still overflowing with nothing but lust. In that purred tone laced with desperate need, the one that made Sasuke shiver all over, the elder let his thoughts be heard. "Would you like that?"

It was unnerving how _nasty_ Sasuke's elder brother could be- He truly had a dirty streak beneath his secretive, reserved ways. Now was the time that the teen decided his sibling was as night and day, even though he should have known that much already. The surprise he felt every other second was practically pointless. Everything Itachi did to prove himself very different than how he outwardly seemed should not have been surprising in the least. This manner of speaking was just the same as the night the elder took advantage of a hypnotized Sasuke, so it was safe to assume this part of Itachi had always existed.

The young male felt his face to be flushed still, but he overcame his jitters, looking his brother in the face as he answered in a rather hushed tone. "..Yes.."

The heir lifted himself to his knees in front of the younger male, bending his head down low so his lips rested just against the sensitive shell of Sasuke's ear, while his arms wrapped loosely around the boy's shoulders. As he spoke up the warm humidity of his breath caressed the erogenous zone, and his voice maintained it's low seduction; Needy now, and yet so very challenging, daring Sasuke to take things as far as they could go this very night. "Prove it."

Knowing immediately what was being asked of him, Sasuke nodded his head, allowing his meagerness to dissolve and the firm grip of a determined resolute took hold, a response to his sibling's very erotically challenging opposition. His nerves had relaxed themselves, though his head felt light from this situation, this contact- But in his mind he wanted nothing greater than what he was about to take hold of. His lashes fluttered against his cheeks as his lids shut and he came blindly forward to deliver a kiss to the center of the elder's chest, his lips parted slightly so a small damp area was left upon the older male's skin as the younger boy moved his attention downward steadily. An eager hand was simultaneously working to unbutton and unzip Itachi's pants all the while, and in no time at all the ebony garment was loosened, and being pulled down to the elder's knees, and it was then that the kisses ended, and the boy's curious focus shifted. Itachi was in an intense state of erection, his aroused organ engorged to the highest extent, swollen and rigid. A trail of translucent precum had dribbled down the thick length, streaming along the underside, following the defined bulge in the elder's anatomy.

Sasuke searched his memory banks for all he was worth, trying to summon any visual recall of his brother's member, though he found none, even though he had seen Itachi nude many times when he was younger. Still, the teen could be sure that even though he did not remember what his sibling's privates had looked like back then, over the years, some changes had occurred. Not once did Sasuke ever lay eyes on his brother and notice a small metallic object adorning his flesh, but now such an object was present. Right in front of his face was a silvery barbel passing through the frenulum on the underside of his brother's organ. It was a curious addition, and Sasuke was most intrigued; Because of this he reached a small hand out, his fingers toying with the jewelry, not paying very much attention as a frail appendage was laid on his shoulder. The most he did in response was spare a look up at his sibling's expectant visage, those ruby red orbs just a bit more hazy than usual, though Itachi was otherwise blank. Sasuke knew what his brother was thinking, and because of that the boy found this to be a good opportunity to play with the elder.

Unlike the younger male, Itachi's shaft had an extremely steep upward bend in it, and Sasuke could suppose perhaps that was just another reason the women kept coming back. Such a form would be helpful in increasing pleasure, Sasuke assumed. The wandering fingers wrapped around the hardened member, stroking upward in a cruelly slack grip, just wishing to feel the unique shape, and give the elder absolutely no relief from the pressure he was surely feeling. He smirked with devious satisfaction as he felt the fingers at his shoulder tighten slightly, and he gave his brother a demure look as he stared innocently up at him.

"You like that, Itachi-niisan?" The teen spoke in a very coy manner, though he gave no indication as to what his intentions were at this very moment. He was only that much more pleased with himself when he received a look of subtle aggravation in return. Fingertips barely touching the pulsing arousal, they moved at a dawdling, but gradual pace, all the way up to the blushed head of the elder's member, and with all the pretenses of being most sinless, the boy tilted his head as those doe-like eyes studied the very streamlined shape of his sibling's member; How the tip was much less mushroom-shaped than other men tended to be.

Then, going from one extreme to the other, Sasuke suddenly wrapped his fingers tightly around his sibling's engorged sex, his hand stroking up and down rapidly. Proudly, the young boy became his sibling's support as the elder male hunched forward, the hand on Sasuke's shoulder the only thing keeping him up as the younger Uchiha kept pumping continuously.

"Ah-Sasuke!"

Itachi spoke up a faint sort of objection, though he showed no further resistance, and luckily enough the young male halted his actions, taking his hand away as his brother verbalized his name. He had no intentions of getting Itachi off himself anyway- He just wanted to get the elder worked up. Seeing his elder brother cum, however, would have made his job easier, but.. He didn't want to give the older male the pleasure of spilling his seed into his hand. Sasuke knew he could get himself off with minimal effort, no matter what, so letting Itachi enjoy this too much wasn't acceptable.

With a deep, shuddering breath, Itachi sat down upon his naked rump, and Sasuke licked his sibling's fluid from his fingers before he reached down and tugged Itachi's pants off fully, throwing them off the side of the bed, building on the collection of things in the floor. "You can handle that from here, right Itachi?"

Sasuke smiled deviously, despite how his elder brother had returned to his typical state-of-calm, and with a sigh the young boy shifted, sitting himself back down now. He was granted a nod from his older brother, and his hand moved to his own throbbing length, unconsciously stroking up and down along the silky flesh, just feeling the firm rigidity for now.

"Whenever you're ready, then, Sasuke." Itachi spoke up, now moving a single finger along the underside of his shaft. This action was keenly watched, and copied, Sasuke mimicking his sibling's movement, and shivering at just the thought of having Itachi's hands touching him, pleasuring him; He would just pretend for now, since he had already warned his brother against the effects such actions would have- The boy didn't know why he chose to play so fair sometimes. Sasuke would enjoy this for now- Itachi's graceful fingers sliding up his thick member, his skin gliding slickly against the satin flesh of his hardened organ due the thin coating of precum; the sound of the wetness shifting, and the way the sticky material threaded out as the finger was pulled away, and how the elder Uchiha so vulgarly lifted that digit to his reddened lips, and sucked just the tip into his mouth, lapping away the fluid that had been collected similarly to how Sasuke had after he pulled his hand back.

A very slight moan vibrated within the younger boy's throat as he watched, his hand stroking slowly, and his mind working at the speed of light, collecting thoughts, and starting up his imagination, preparing to conjure some dirty little envisionment. Then, with a deep inhaled breath, Sasuke began to speak.

"..All of my life I dreamt of nothing greater than the opportunity to fight you, Itachi.. And here I am, painfully erect at the thought of having sex with you..my.. My own brother... But, despite my urges which are more than apparent now, it should be clear that I won't give it up without a struggle, though maybe it is the friction between us that drives us to seek further friction; An entirely different meaning to the word. Yes, I'm very inclined to struggle with you, and until now you weren't able to guess that I draw greater pleasure from the thought of... You above me.. The thought of you penetrating me.. Maybe that comes from my wish to eternally hate you, and though I'd be lying if I said I'd be unwilling as you pump into me, my thoughts always linger on me being bent over against my will.. Of you taking me without consent- It helps me concentrate on what I've been telling myself to feel for you my entire life.. Hatred. Despite my lust, I'd never give myself over like a whore- I'd make you work for it, if I knew it was coming. I'd tempt and tease until there was no other choice but for us to fuck, and then.. I'd deny you. I'd put up a fight as you rip my clothes from my lean body, though in the process I'd manage to disrobe you almost as quickly as you do the same to me. The scuffle would be carried on all about wherever we've chosen to stay, and I can only imagine that we would leave the place in utter disarray as we crash into doors, and over furniture in the intense struggle of lust versus rivalry. However, the fight would eventually end with me submitting, overpowered, bent over where ever I happened to finally be pinned at, and at that point I'd fall still, legs widespread, and more than ready for everything you intend to give me. You wouldn't even bother stretching me first, no, once you finally have me down, your too eager to wait, and you'd push roughly into me, immediately thrusting at a quick pace, though slow enough for you to plunge in hard each time..."

The young male, with legs spread wide, but comfortable, leaned back with a single arm propping him up, and a single hand clutching the sheets in concentration, he allowed his eyes to flutter shut for a moment, and the image he had created passed through his mind- The image of himself pinned beneath his sibling's weight, his body smoldering from that fire-like heat that radiated from Itachi's fair skin. It was the imagined feel of that pressure, that stretched, filled sensation that he focused on in his mind; The feel of Itachi buried inside him. A frail hand pumped faster at those unclean thoughts, and inky eyes were allowed to open once again, pausing to take in the wondrous vision just before them. Itachi staring right back at Sasuke, doll-like optics glowing even more luminously than usual, bright with the excitement and the animalistic desire.

"Mmm..Kami.." The teen managed to breath out words of sheer unrestraint as he beheld such a rare and arousing visual- His brother, stroking himself, and keeping an exact pace with Sasuke, those deliciously chiseled muscles tense and his entire body rigid at what Sasuke was saying now. Such a surge of power over Itachi, mixed with the terrible distraction of seeing him doing this at just Sasuke's _words_.. It was making concentration on the task at hand quite the arduous endeavor.

Sasuke's eyes unconsciously brightened to vivid red, the coloration overtaking the dark depths as he focused on the hand he had obsessed over as it now worked up and down along Itachi's stiff organ, while at the same time a steady flow of pleasured friction passed through his own intricate network of nerves and receptors, causing him to breathlessly whine out in greater need. His elder sibling responded to this, possibly in frustration, but too mellowed and drowned in his own masturbation to sound insistent. His words were almost senseless as they were spoken between shallow pants, but once they were tied together the message was quite clear. "..Don't.. Stop.. Sasuke.."

The boy had to close his eyes again in order to pull himself out of distraction, and he took another long breath, feeling so utterly deprived of oxygen, and somehow he managed to continue with his words.

"Mmnn.. Feeling you pound into me, I'd have no choice but to moan out with each thrust; I'd be stretched almost beyond my limit, and it would feel as if I'm being bruised on the inside.. But every painful in and out movement is laced with extraordinary pleasure, like none I can feel with anybody aside from my very own flesh and blood... And perhaps it is the knowledge that our actions are so very disgusting and sinful that makes us both need this so terribly.. We go on and on, both holding on as long as we can, not wanting to end such a pleasurable thing.. By this time both of us are damp with sweat, and we both struggle to keep our pace up as we grow almost exhausted.. We are too lost in the feel of things to notice the strain however... I've dropped the act, and I no longer pretend as if I'm pinned beneath you against my will.. Now my back is arching, and I jolt back against your hips, pushing against you to help bury your cock even deeper inside of me, unnn.. It isn't as if it is needed, because you will have let loose, your hips bucking wildly as your thick member slides in and out of my tight entrance, ahhn, your skin slapping wetly against my own in a quick sort of rhythm.. Despite your ferocity, I still urge you on; Do it harder..Do it faster... Nnnn.. And my constant pushing is almost frustrating as your already giving it to me as roughly as you possibly can, clasping my pale hips, and digging into them. You want to mark me.. You want to leave me with a little reminder of this night.. One hand moves from my hip to my member, and you stroke me in time with your own furious thrusting, streaking my white skin red just a bit with the blood that had been on your fingertips...aann.."

Steadily the young male pumped faster and faster as he spoke, becoming more aroused with every word, becoming more sensitive with each skin-on-skin stroke, his hand clasping his member tightly, working it relentlessly, his mind dead set on release, on victory. Now looking he could see, inches away the traitorous Uchiha heir was jerking just as hard as the younger male, working toward divine pleasure, though with enough restraint to keep himself at an equilibrium- Keeping himself from tumbling over the edge before Sasuke, so as not to ease the task for the younger male, and hand over a flawless, effortless win. Seeing Itachi touching himself though, his forehead damp, and his bangs stuck to his skin as hazy crimson optics stared right back, and a tight fist worked the rigid cock.. It was enough.

The young male groaned from deep within his throat, and his eyes squeezed shut as he focused on the tingling heat rising up in his privates, then expanding out in the pit of his stomach, and up his spine. He panted, shaking his head in orgasm-edge desperation as he fought to manage comprehensive words. "Mmmm, Ita..chi, ahhh! I can't.."

"Yes you can, Sasuke.." The older male spoke up quickly, cutting in with a commanding voice, even though his tone was laced with the same ring as Sasuke's own; Itachi, to, was amazingly close to a state of ecstacy, though surprisingly enough, his face was still very calm-looking, the only difference being that his brow was wrinkled slightly, and his eyes had narrowed intensely. "..Keep going.."

Sasuke's lips parted, words wishing to flow out of his mouth, but speech never came- He had not lied, he couldn't control himself, nor did he want to, as his goal had been to lose control. With a gasp and an unrestrained moan, his entire body was clutched in the grip of orgasm, euphoric sensations rushing over him, filling every nerve-ending with incomparable pleasure, and then, seconds after the climax struck, but before it dulled away, his seed shot out hard into his hand, splattering his pale digits, and landing hotly against the skin of his abdomen. His hand's movement steadily slowed as the peak washed over him, dying out almost as quickly as it appeared, and with a heavy, relieved sigh his alabaster body bonelessly flopped down against the mattress, while dulled obsidian eyes calmly watched Itachi who was still stroking, but so obviously right at the edge.

Grinning deviously, and yet so very innocently all at once, Sasuke spoke up, continuing his tale out of the sheer kindness in his heart, his eyes glimmering, content, as his words filtered out between steady pants.

"Not even able to handle the feel of your fingers touching my sensitive organ while your fucking me, I'm finally knocked over the precipice of pleasure, spilling my fluid all over, and as I tighten around you, you moan out loud, filling me to the brim with your hot seed, and I whine in ecstacy at the feel of it, especially as it begins to spill out from my abused orifice once you slowly slide your softening member out of me."

The elder male's eyes shut tightly and his brow wrinkled just a bit more as he bit down on his lip, stifling a moan as he came. The ivory fluid spilled out, streams landing on the younger male as his body laid just within range, and random droplets spurted out upon the elder's fingers, and belly, and chest, soiling both present in the hot ejaculate. Sasuke did nothing but hiss vacantly at the contact, too absorbed in studying his sibling's face contort slightly in the grasp of orgasm, and just for that short, passing moment. It was certainly one of the strangest things he had ever seen in his life, and as his brother's body finally relaxed, and Itachi began panting in an attempt to catch up, calm ruby pools turned in the younger boy's direction, noticing Sasuke's staring.

"What is it..?" Itachi spoke up, his voice deep, and serene, his entire form looking slack, and relieved, though his red eyes still burned intensely as they stared down.

Sasuke smiled up most pleasantly, seeming peaceful for the first time in almost forever. His voice was even coated in a sweet tone, overshadowing the potential for a most sinister disposition. "..Nothing."

The heir made a practically lost attempt to smear some of the semen from his skin, before he pulled his cloak back up to hang around his shoulders, and all the while he was hungrily staring down at the perfect little body laid out so conveniently in front of him, not even close to being fulfilled, despite having just gotten his release. As he rested, Sasuke looked up, his moonlit form bathed in benevolence, though there was a twinkle in the deep, black depths of the boy's eyes- Itachi knew why.

A delicately thin hand dipped beneath the heavy black folds of the cloak, drawing out the blade between frail fingers; The blade Sasuke had given to Itachi for a specific purpose. Itachi slowly twirled the utensil between his fingers; expertly, fondly even, comfortable with the familiarity of the size and shape and weight, and all the while his eyes remained fixated on the glinting, silvery kunai, and his mind was miles away, contemplating. The younger male just stared up expectantly from his comfortable position, his voice softly ringing out to break his brother's concentrated state.

"Well, Itachi..?"

That secretive weasel's smile slipped subtly over Itachi's face, and Sasuke returned the expression with a grin of his own, fully aware of what was about to happen. Dextrous fingers released the circular ring at the end of the kunai handle and it twisted into the air, coming back down to be caught in Itachi's capable hand. A purred voice echoed from the heir, reflecting nothing but calm and confidence. "..I'll make you a second offer.."

The boy knew what his sibling was going to offer him, and his fingers danced along the soft sheets beneath his lax body, his voice pure and soft as he spoke in mock curiosity. "What is it?"

Itachi's face was blank though he could not hide his innermost thoughts making themselves apparent. He was far too undaunted, and his stare was much too predatory. "..I can take you here and now.."

It took a moment, but faintly a smile began to work its way across Sasuke's cherry tinted lips, his ebon eyes glittering joyfully before he slowly lifted his lithe body from the cushioned surface, and on his knees he crawled forward, moving with cat-like grace. His form was limber and relaxed as he crept right up onto his siblings lap, his flesh smelling distinctly like citrus with the obscure essence of sex. He slid his arms over his sibling's shoulders, and around his neck, tilting his head as he brought his lips to rest against Itachi's in a seductive fashion, letting the elder suck his breath away before they at last kissed in a lazy sort of bliss, their tongues mingling, and softly caressing. With a wet, lip-sucking smack the two separated, not truly splitting, because Sasuke didn't move from his comfortable position with his thighs tucked at each of Itachi's sides, and his lips placed just against the elder's. Instead he allowed an all-too-apparent smirk to slide across his countenance, and without backing up an inch he spoke his words very simply, and far too sweetly.

"No, Itachi."

At last feeling as though he had cut down the elder with his words, Sasuke moved away from Itachi, completely dropping the act of innocence and withdrawing back into his calm, and unemotional state of mind. The boy moved to the edge of the bed, and lifted himself to his feet, collecting his clothes before he began the process of putting everything back on, just ignoring his need of a bath for now. Itachi watched as Sasuke slid his pants back up his slender legs, and fastened them, next taking his haori in hand, and sliding it around himself before he looked back at the elder.

Itachi was just staring at him, those ruby eyes so empty; Sasuke would assume it was the heir's form of disbelief, of loss. Because, either way, for the younger male this was now a win-win situation. Endless coal colored optics observed the elder, seeing clearly the obvious shift from bewilderment, to absolute_ dejection_, and confusion. Sasuke did not smile victoriously, however, he settled for a plain stare, very attentively keeping his eyes on Itachi, just to take in every last moment of his end. The teen could see the drop of obscurity growing in the older Uchiha, evolving into something concrete, a questioning, and those pretty lips parted as the bitter inquiry lingered just on Itachi's tongue, waiting to be phrased correctly before coming out.

And how sweet a sound the elder's voice was when it was low and soft, and utterly beaten down, and defeated. It gave Sasuke a shiver as the ring of it met his ears, the question at last spoken.

"You're sure then, Otouto..?"

"I told you..." Sasuke spoke up quickly, his own answer quite obvious in his mind, though he paused, not finding his position quite appropriate for the moment. His feet shifted him, rotating his form so he faced his older sibling, and he padded over closer to the elder male, gorging himself on the sweet, triumphant visual he was met with; Itachi, locked up in his emotions, subtly printed on his doll-like face, and in his body language- His mask was cracked, and he hadn't even found the strength to piece himself back together. But Sasuke smiled softly at him, wanting to comfort the elder outwardly as a gentle hand reached up, and soft fingertips caressed the heir's silky cheek. Such fondness seemed all pretense, however, once Sasuke allowed the truth of his intent to slip out; All the hatred he had felt all these years. Biting resent in the face of ruthless execution. His sharp, and cold voice reflected as much.

"Stop calling me that."

The boy turned his back, dropping his tender touch and his false affection, and he gathered up his sash, tying it at his waist nonchalantly, as if he could care less if his sibling was in the very last moments of his life. It was completely meaningless to Sasuke, and he wanted Itachi to know that- He wanted Itachi to suffer now. The only thing that was able to spring up some interest in the boy was Itachi's movement; The elder had picked himself up now, and was doing the exact same as his younger sibling. He was covering his naked body, pulling his clothes back on one piece at a time.

The elder made no eye contact as he dressed himself, and padded off toward the door, leaving Sasuke in a whirl of disappointment. The boy sighed, showing this irritation, and he crossed his arms against his chest as he eyed his sibling harshly. It was the teen that finally spoke up when Itachi made it to the doorway, stopping the elder in his tracks.

"Give my kunai back, then.." The tone struck was demanding, and without a shred of emotion. The only thing Sasuke reflected any care for in his words was his possession, and at those words, Itachi turned slightly, crimson eyes looking at the boy from over his shoulder. It could not be said that Sasuke recognized the look in those blood red eyes in the slightest, and for just a second he wondered what was going through his siblings mind. That curiosity was snuffed out by a sense of duty, the withdrawn state of the boy's feelings, and a need to allow Itachi to die without regretting it. The young Uchiha just finished his thoughts from before, which his brother was clearly waiting for. "...If you're not going to do it."

Once more there was no movement from either brother, just the grip of hesitation, until Itachi turned his visage back to face his path, and he just kept walking, leaving without returning the kunai. The disappearance drew a frustrated sigh from the younger boy, though for now he would not worry about it.

Sasuke threw himself down on the soft and comfortable bed, taking a deep, relieved breath before almost immediately drifting off into a pleasant slumber, no longer troubled in the slightest.

He felt he could sleep forever; That made two of them.

Intoxicated eyes, no longer live that life.  
You should have learned by now, I'll burn this whole world down.  
I need some peace of mind, no fear of what's behind.  
You think you've won this fight, you've only lost your mind

heaven help you

TO BE CONTINUED


	8. Chapter 8

You belong to me, My snow white queen.

There's nowhere to run, so let's just get it over.

Soon I know you'll see, You're just like me.

Don't scream anymore my love, 'cause all I want is you

- - - -

It was early. It must have been some time during the most unholy morning hours, before light had broke in the horizon, before the sun's eternal, golden beauty gave the world light, and chased away the sin and monsters of the night. Darkness was upon the younger Uchiha brother as he stirred in his sleep, awakened by a slight movement near him, and surrounded in the deathly black, with only a faint trace of silvery light coming from the window. His heart jumped to fierce beating, enlivened in a sudden jolt as a sense of impending danger stole the breath right out of him.

He jumped up slightly in the bed, the covers falling back as he propped on his elbows, and stared through the dismal, but clear darkness at the form perched on the edge of the bed. He recognized it to be his sibling immediately, and though Sasuke was now staring at that man, Itachi hadn't moved. The younger male observed the pure moonlight, and how it caressed Itachi''s figure as he silently sat still- It was just like laying eyes on him the night of the massacre as he stood over their dead parent's bodies, letting cruel Tsukuyomi's stolen vibrance reveal his identity.

But as the elder made not one move, it called upon Sasuke's curiosity. Dark orbs scanned him, noting how he sat slightly hunched rather than perfectly straight, his head held down, his bangs falling like a thick curtain of black over his face as the rest of his hair cascaded down his naked back. It was clear to see that Itachi had removed his clothes down to his pants, and he probably had some intent to rest himself, now that he had returned from whatever place he wandered off to after Sasuke denied his secondary offer. But why did he just sit like that on the edge of the bed? Did he think Sasuke would not share the space with him? The younger didn't really care either way. He was still questioning whether his sibling intended to follow his directions, as Itachi had stubbornly walked away from a death sentence hours earlier.

Finally growing tired of staring, and waiting for the older male to make a move, Sasuke''s neutral voice echoed quietly through the night air, one word being spoken in questioning that was not obvious from the sound, but Sasuke knew his sibling would understand regardless. "..Itachi?"

Hearing his name, the traitorous Uchiha turned his head in Sasuke's direction, his eyes clear and luminous behind strands of obsidian hair. The young male did not feel threatened by his brother, perfectly aware that the older would not do a thing to harm him, but he almost shivered as he caught sight of his brother's mangekyou glistening brightly. The vision of those eyes brought Sasuke back, back to bad memories, but he didn't dare look away, and allow his sibling to see him shrink from the sight of his powerful eyes. Instead, he kept the eye contact warily as he spoke up again, given no true response from the older male. "What are you doing?"

He could see Itachi blink, hesitating, jittery, and somehow disturbed by the question, his mind in some dark place, a daze of sorts, but Sasuke waited for an answer undeterred, used to his sibling oddities, especially concerning the older male's behavior in the dead of night. At last an equally soft, but more gentle whisper was made audible in the still room; a low tone somewhat disconnected, and very broken, just like other parts of the elder Uchiha. "I wanted to be with you..for a bit... Just go back to sleep.. Sasuke."

With a soft, and wary growl of disapproval, and bitter confusion, Sasuke simply relented, too sleepy still to make a fuss just because his brother nicely asked him to go back to sleep. Slowly, he lowered himself down to the mattress, but not because Itachi told him to; He did it because he wanted to, and because Itachi wasn't going to answer to him right now anyway.

As he closed his eyes, settling back down, he felt the mattress shift, his brother's weight moving, crawling up onto the bed, and once he was on the other side, the older male dipped his body beneath the sheets quietly, not laying near enough to touch Sasuke, though the younger male's eyes opened once again, his sleep momentarily disturbed by the sound of his brother's breath steadily flowing in and out, his lungs still working, keeping him alive. His heart clenched as his teeth ground together, every seemingly innocent breath driving the teen to a state of madness, a state of dark, dreaming desires, as he soon slipped back into the grasp of unconsciousness, the realm of sleep he had been enjoying, since he had only recently began to experience such peace again.

And though he would say his elder disrupted that peace, as Itachi was the one who had haunted him once, Itachi also was the one who gave serenity back to the boy, allowing him to slumber. And.. Though it was strange.. Sasuke had to admit that the sound of a living body near him as he rested was comforting. He had been alone for so long, he was grateful to have somebody to watch over him for just tonight.

- - - -

What was maybe a few hours later, a heavy shaking, the boom and banging of fierce combat, awakened Sasuke once again, and instantly he was even more nervous than he had been upon waking to the soft movements before. He could feel the danger and adrenaline pump into his veins as his body jumped at the strong sense of doom headed straight for him. Luminous Tsukuyomi had yet to leave the sky, though the horizon had grown a faint purplish hue from the view in the windows and the door to the deck. Wide-eyed crimsons peered at the closed door to the rest of the room as Sasuke jumped up, noticing Itachi was already sitting up, staring in that same direction, a slight degree less calm than the front he typically maintained. The younger male looked over at him, jarred by another shaking in the frame of the building, another clear sign of danger, and despite the power that lurked beneath the glassy surface of Sasuke's young sharingan, he was filled with questioning, unsure, and seeking answers from his older brother, who was still alive, and here to make the decisions in the place of the younger male. Sasuke waited, staring hard at his sibling, feeling his breathing growing to a tense level as he anxiously awaited a movement. He could not possibly understand the unreal fear inside him- He hadn''t been afraid in so very long, and he knew he was certainly a match for almost any shinobi that crossed him, and yet.. He could not shake the feeling that something terrible was about to happen- Something just wasn't right.

With nothing but utter calm, Itachi moved from the bed, muttering a quick 'Let's go' in a low, but firm voice, and pulling his cloak from it's home, discarded on the floor, he wrapped it about his shoulders, and pushed his arms into the sleeves. Sasuke gave a sure nod, and followed the elder to the deck door, observing the way Itachi stepped out into the morning air, and leaped over the side railing, free-falling just long enough for him to get near to a slope, and attach to it with his chakra. From there he bolted, speeding down the side of the building with his cloak fluttering behind him. The younger male was unsure if his morning was supposed to start in such a manner, but he had no choice now but to stay on his brother's trail, lest he be left behind all over again. He was sure he had followed after Itachi too long to lose him senselessly here. With no more room to hesitate, Sasuke flipped his gracefully lean body over the edge, diving down into air as open as the sky, and he felt the damp chill of it passing over the bare parts of his skin; his cheeks, and forehead, and his chest. If the ominous loom of something foreboding, which had woken him, had not been enough to wake him, staring down into a fall that could mean death, and the caress of the cool air certainly did. His muscles stretched, wakening as he tumbled, then he met his feet with a parallel slope, clinging on, and running as he maintained a perfect balance. He fled with speed not out of fear, but to catch up to his sibling as his eyes remained stuck on the elder''s back, watching Itachi''s back like it was the last thing he would ever see. He did not like this position, however; He had been following far behind his brother for too long, and with an extra boost and suspicion that Itachi very possibly slowed his pace to allow Sasuke to catch up, the younger male came to run at his older brother's side.

For a singular moment, the morning streets, still dim with the barest rays of sun, but already lined with a few groups of people preparing for their days work, blurred around the younger male, merging into shades of gray and purple and pink, and he felt ill, he felt something unreal crawling up his spine, as if he wished to wake from a dream- It was the same thing he felt before, locked within eternal nightmares. He supposed it was the rush in his brain, the rush of his feet, and once the feeling passed, his eyes flickered over to look at Itachi while still paying close attention to the path before him.

The older male was still so utterly calm, but he had a bothered sense of worry sneaking up in the depths of his eyes, and Sasuke could see it. Sasuke could feel the tremors deep within his masked sibling as Itachi picked up his pace again, running at what seemed an unnecessarily quick speed. The young teen''s voice sounded into audibility, speaking over the rustle of wind against his and his sibling''s ears, an aggravated tone clear even beneath his rush for breath to keep his muscles fed with oxygen for the run. "I feel like a worthless fool running away from whoever is chasing us."

The older male gave no response as he made a swift turn, detouring into a patch of green and trees, which was a park meant to provide the beauty of nature to these city-dwelling people. Sasuke was certain Itachi knew his way around expertly, but he feared Itachi had ducked into the vegetation for cover, and to hide the trail they were taking, or to hide something which was unknown. Sasuke was tired of being left in the dark, being ignored, and even though his bad feelings were only growing stronger, he could not help but growl his protest.

Crimson eyes at last snapped over to look at him; Itachi's face was so calm, and yet he looked at his sibling as if he were staring at the young boy from years ago, that boy who was in need of protection, and Itachi only wished for Sasuke to silently accept his Aniki's wishes. His words only further backed that idea as he spoke firmly. "I don't want you to fight. I don't want you tangled up in Akatsuki's business.. Just keep running Sasuke."

The older male's words were suddenly interrupted by a hail of shuriken, and as they had been unexpected, Sasuke gasped his surprise at the first sharp object, which luckily missed him. He dodged the rest gracefully, turning and spinning just long enough to note that the blue, brutish man was behind them already. He had obviously remained on their tails and tracked them from above, only now descending as the buildings ended in this park; Sasuke saw this situation as leading to either one of two things. The chase would end and a battle would begin here in this unpopulated patch of land, or the brother's would change direction at some point, losing the older man by slipping out of sight and rushing to gain distance, while keeping to a discreet trail. Sasuke could only wonder what Itachi's plan was, though he could most assume it was the one not involving a fight, as he had stated that to be his wish.

Both brothers carried on as fast as their legs could take them, but the larger man stayed right on their heels, having a strangely high level of speed for a bulky man carrying a huge weapon on his back. Sasuke's eyes narrowed, finding there to be something almost suspicious about that fact, though his concentration was too easily lost once another rain of shuriken came down- This time there was nothing for him to dodge, as it was all aimed at Itachi, and though the elder male kept his body out of the paths of most of them, the very hem of his cloak was captured by a few of the razor-sharp stars, and he was tugged back in a sudden loss of balance. He was still graceful enough to land in a crouched position, but with immense foresight Sasuke sprung back as well, landing in front of his brother to block another onslaught of shuriken, which surely Itachi would have been struck by. The elder brother glanced up questioningly for just a moment before bolting into the trees, and Sasuke followed hurriedly, though as his brother disappeared into the foliage, he lost sight of him.

His eyes widened slightly, sharingan burning in the depths as his heart raced, and he trekked into the vegetation, no trail very clear, and no sign of Itachi; There was no flutter of a cloak, and no wisp of obsidian hair caught in a breeze to be seen. There was nothing but endless green, seemingly untouched, and the young boy became immediately distraught and near-desperate as his brother was now lost to him. He stopped in his tracks, helpless, hearing nothing but his own pants for breath as he looked around, this way and that, seeing not a single sign of life, as if the chase and the battle had escaped from him in a matter of seconds. He had felt this before; He had been here before, and he knew it.

_Desperation took over as the older Uchiha only got farther and farther away, and Sasuke could no longer even see him up ahead. The tiny boy felt so defeated as he finally stopped, gasping for breath from the running and pushing himself to keep his breathing low and less noisy. Itachi had gotten away; he could have been gone for all Sasuke knew. The little boy whimpered, hopeless, but he knew better than to give up- You never just gave up on something that meant a lot to you, and Sasuke couldn't give up on Itachi right now.  
_  
He clutched his head, not wanting to remember that time, not wanting to compare now to then, because those same emotions plagued him now, the feelings that surged inside his terrified form as he tried to desperately track his sibling and became lost in the woods as a boy.. They haunted him and took control of him. He muttered his sibling's name softly, his voice small and weak, and his heart unbearably sick at the sound of it, his gut twisting violently enough to make him wretch. In his heart he could hear a voice whispering with every beat, trying to remain in secret, though it was impossible to block out ..Please let him be okay..

But the teen was granted a gentle response to his calling of his brother's cursed name, and immediately his head was lifted, his fiery, hopeful eyes scanning the area again as he heard his own name whispered in reply. He went toward the voice, Itachi's voice, breathing slow and steady just in case the older male spoke again as Sasuke wanted to be sure he didn't just imagine it. He pushed through a patch of shrubs overgrown with wisteria and honeysuckle, the sweet scent plaguing his senses as his vision was near cut-off by the wall of growth; Then, just behind a tree-trunk, which was equally overtaken by the insistent vines, he found his brother standing, slightly hunched with his head lowered as he had been earlier in the morning while he was sitting on the edge of the mattress. One arm was pulled from the sleeve of his cloak and the garment had been buttoned down the front; for a reason unknown, the same chill that had gotten to Sasuke, seeing Itachi sitting so still and unresponsive just earlier, returned to him, and he simply could not take it. He spoke up quietly, questioningly, not sure if the elder had planned on hiding, or if he was only waiting on Sasuke. "..Itachi."

The young male recalled- He was doing the exact same thing as he had earlier, his voice and words identical, though this time around his sibling's response was slightly different. When he looked up this time, Itachi''s eyes held a sort of disbelieving inquiry beneath the glassy surface, an expression so dazed it almost made the older male look terribly innocent for a moment and his lips parted slowly as his tongue moved to form words. "..You shielded me Sasuke.. I thought you -wanted- me dead."

With a soft release of breath, an exasperated, confused sort of grunt, Sasuke turned his head, looking away from his sibling, not at all wanting Itachi to get the wrong idea or impression from Sasuke's actions. With a cold, biting tone, Sasuke responded easily, justifying himself. "..Not at the hand of some Akatsuki freak. You are my target, and mine alone.."

He spared a glance back in his brother's direction, noting the faded glimmer in his brother's eyes, a form of regret, of disappointment.. It was something very vague, and perhaps Itachi did not even know what it was. But it disturbed Sasuke in a deep way, as he was only used to his sibling''s emotionless stares, his pretty face masked in complete and utter apathy. That mask of apathy easily was slid back over the older male's countenance as he looked away from Sasuke, nodding softly and speaking up in a quiet voice. "..I see.. I understand."

Those ruby optics fell shut, a bitten back show of pain that Sasuke easily recognized before he saw his brother's body shudder and Itachi coughed slightly, trying to restrain it from happening. It did anyway, and a frail and delicate hand came up to cover his lips from view, but an obvious trickle of blood soon became apparent between the pale, white fingers. The older sibling's brow wrinkled slightly in regret for letting Sasuke know what had occurred, and within a second the younger male was upon him, stripping the cloak off by unbuttoning the front, those dark eyes beholding the situation as Sasuke gasped in disbelief.

There, previously hidden beneath the cloak, and just beneath the bandages already in place, the sharpened kunai was being held, forced down into the older male's abdomen, the blade completely within him, the delicate red ribbon caught just between two white fingers, dripping from the white surface like the steady flow of blood downward from the wound. Within an instant Sasuke's breath picked up again in panic- This was all wrong. This was sudden and misplaced, and he could not bare it. And to further complicate the situation, heavy footsteps were heard suddenly, the large, fish-like man having located the two trapped siblings and descended from the trees to close in on them. He stood at a slight distance, but he was in visual now, smirking with rows of razor sharp teeth, and beady eyes that stared down on his prey, his expression exact to the carnivores swimming in the endless seas. He was a beast who preyed on weakness, and the pair of Uchiha had fallen into the greatest moment of weakness they could possibly experience. Somewhere deep inside, Sasuke almost believed this man had smelled the blood, even over the hypnotic and overwhelming flower-scent.

All the younger, helpless teen could do was try to ignore that man for the moment, his attention focusing on his brother who groaned lowly, his body shaking, and his knees giving out beneath him, letting his form slide to the ground, the kunai surely being jarred, and tearing him apart inside at the movement; proof of that was yet more blood being coughed up to drip down from Itachi's chin. Sasuke braced his sibling as best he could, but it was utterly clear that his sibling was swiftly becoming fatal, one difficult breath coming out after another, and as the Akatsuki beast approached, he chuckled mercilessly to himself.

"A Seppuku to show your remorse for your sinful existence? I hadn't expected it, but it is rather fitting, Itachi." A laugh was followed by the brute's heartless tone, infuriated crimson optics turning to the man, Sasuke's hand moving to clasp the handle of his katana, though just as swiftly the single free hand Itachi had bolted to rest overtop, his grip tight and restricting. The younger sibling turned to look upon his brother''s pale face, a frustrated and questioning gleam coating his blood-red eyes, which burned in desperate anger and fear.

With all the strength he had left, Itachi's red-stained lips parted to speak breathlessly, his eyes barely half-open as his life slowly began to fade. His voice brought prickling chills to Sasuke's entire body, the tone soft and protective, despite everything in the past, and the current situation- Sasuke felt the tenderness was keenly disrespectful, and this whole moment was torn apart in disaster, but he listened regardless. "Stay out of this.. Sasuke.. He only wants..me."

The teen grit his teeth at the words spoken to him, his own grip tightening on his blade as he glared defiantly down upon his dying sibling, a sudden fury stemming from an inexplicable urge to protect his treacherous elder overtaking him. He spoke in a definite tone, harsh and firm, clearly stating that he planned to do what he wished without heeding Itachi''s words. "Yeah, well, he isn't getting you, goddamn it!"

The hand laced over Sasuke's own fell away, the grip lost, but Itachi persevered even as he was growing terribly weak, his arm shakily raising with some difficulty so that he could softly grasp the hem at the opening of Sasuke's haori, and give it soft, but insistent tug. "Why does.. It matter.. Now.." He spoke up in faint syllables, his breath quickly escaping him, his body struggling to remain functioning. "..I'm already..going to d-"

"No!" Sasuke interjected, interrupted, not wanting to hear his brother finish what he was about to say, not at all wanting to hear those defeated words. The blue-skinned beast stopped a few feet away, staring, cackling, and with his hand freed, Sasuke drew his blade in a threatening manner, though he did not yet move into a defensive or offensive posture, allowing Itachi''s hand to still clasp his clothing in desperation of death. He kept himself very near to his brother, not wanting to leave his side, though the threat of being torn from him drew only nearer with one single footstep, and Sasuke reacted by trying to pull away from his brother''s grasp, wishing to meet the opposition head-on.

He was held to his ground, however, Itachi's fingers tightening at the last moment, a final struggle. Sasuke turned his face back to his withering sibling, aggravated that Itachi would not just let the boy slice up the gargantuan blue man. But that aggression felt itself being loosened as he met his brother's stare, his eyes locking with a burning crimson, a deathly design painted beneath the surface- The twirling mangekyou, capturing Sasuke, but bringing him down to the truth of things. Reality.

Itachi's voice rang in echoes, soft and weak, but so utterly protective and fond of the teen who had condemned him to death. "I..will not..let you..interfere with this."

...Reality...

Sharingan eyes snapped open, at last freed from delirium, and Sasuke frantically jerked his head from one side to the other, peering about his surroundings, finding himself to be still inside the hotel room, locked in the dark much before sunrise. He was trapped on his back and being weighed down by a body draped over top of him. He looked up, a rush of fear and uncertainty provoking his search for an answer, but the face he stared up at was a cold one masked with apathy and burning eyes that bled into his own with the powerful grip of mangekyou sharingan. His older brother, Itachi; he had done something.. He was still doing something.. He was toying with Sasuke's head, even though the younger male had allowed himself to trust his sibling, he had trusted that his brother would not turn those eyes against him any more. He was damned for such a stupid decision!

"No.. Don't.. Stop it!" Sasuke's spoke up in rebellion, but he found his body to be growing numb, weak, powerless, his tongue barely able to form words, and, realizing that the worst was happening, tried to struggle, a noise tearing from his throat, though it was but a soft groan of disagreement. He fell still, his breath hitched in uncertain panic, and he looked up at his brother as those red eyes faded to unseeing black. "What did you do to me..?"

Itachi answered without any hesitation and with a firm but somehow sorrowful voice as he closed his aching eyes. "What you saw before.. It was an illusion. Now I have paralyzed you."

_The young male did not feel threatened by his brother, perfectly aware that the older would not do a thing to harm him, but he almost shivered as he caught sight of his brother''s mangekyou glistening brightly. The vision of those eyes brought Sasuke back, back to bad memories, but he didn't dare look away, and allow his sibling to see him shrink from the sight of his powerful eyes._

_  
It was then, at that moment of contact, when Itachi had initiated his illusion, overtaking his sibling and abusing the trust Sasuke had shown him. Without breaking his eye contact, he crawled to hover above his baby sibling, pinning the teen down to the mattress while subjecting him to mental torment._

_  
_  
Sasuke could recall now, a flash of the truth of what happened the moment he had looked into his brother's eyes. It was then that Itachi had ensnared him, and truly that was only moments ago, as the illusion only took a minute or so to play out and complete.  
"Why..?" Sasuke spoke up, his voice still weak, but more so because of his dejection. "Why did you do thi-.." The young teen''s voice halted as a sound met his ears, his entire body froze, and not just because he was paralyzed- He felt he had fallen as still as a deer in a field who had just heard the tell-tale sound of a finger coming to rest on a gun''s trigger. And then, the sound came again..

Thump.... Thump.... Thump....

The noise was that of footsteps, heavy footsteps that were most certainly headed in their general direction, but slow enough to foretell that the person coming had yet to fully lock onto them. The teen knew exactly who they belonged to; within an instant the apprehensive fear returned tenfold, and he stared up at his older brother with questioning, with a true lack of understanding and a need to know what Itachi had planned.. What was about to happen that Itachi had planned out entirely?

The traitorous Uchiha leaned down close to his baby brother's ear to whisper, hot breath playing across the younger male''s ear and neck. "I wanted to test you.. To see how you would react... I knew it would come to this, and I wanted to make sure you couldn''t get in Akatsuki's way.. This way, I can give you what you want, and give them what they want.. Without the two needing to collide."

The elder raised up again, staring down at the younger male as his hand ducked beneath the pillow Sasuke's head was rested on, and he pulled from its hiding spot the kunai that had been assigned as his tool of suicide. Itachi continued to speak, his tone and voice soothing and gentle, though it did nothing at all to calm Sasuke as the footsteps grew closer. "Don't worry, little brother.. Everything will be okay for you, I made sure.. All you have to do is relax and watch.. I want you to savor your moment of vengeance, even though it means the game has come to its end, and that I won, as I promised I would.."

In stunned silence, all Sasuke _could_ do was watch as he was told as his elder brother moved up on his knees, holding the handle of the blade with his right hand while his left hand cupped the rounded tip and his arms held it out before him, the sharp end pointed right at his lower belly. But Itachi did not plunge it in as expected, instead it was slowly brought against his skin, and pushed inside, the blade making a soft, and very clean, precise sound as it sliced through the older male's flesh and delicate insides. Itachi himself released his breath suddenly, his eyes shutting, and his brows knitting together delicately in pain- The expression was still so subtly soft, and serene, even for him to have just stabbed the kunai fully into himself, and he bared his pain with grace.

Sasuke was left gaping, his eyes wide and disbelieving, his mind sensing this could not be real, this could not be true! He had asked Itachi to do this, demanded that Itachi do it, and he could not yet back away from meaning his words, but.. In the illusion, he had felt so.. Terrified. He was frightened at what his sibling's death meant then, and now he was thoughtless, his mind blank. His lips parted, but no words came from behind them. His brain was only focused on the steady dribble of blood leaking from the wound, down the kunai, upon both of his brother's hands, and down, down onto the white surface of Sasuke's haori, staining it with delicate, and precise red circles, like small, vibrant blossoms in melting, white snow.

"..Don't worry.." Itachi's voice filtered from behind his red lips, the blood upon them apparent in the light of the moon, and those eyes opened back to reveal a faint glow of sharingan, just barely remaining active. "I can tell by looking at you that you're distraught.. But.. It doesn't hurt very much.. You sharpened the blade well, so it cuts without much pain.. I should probably thank you.."

In a movement that was obviously uncomfortable, Itachi leaned forward again, keeping himself from falling by resting his left hand at the side of Sasuke's head, finding his sense of balance, and then strength to hold himself on his knees while the right hand lifted up slowly, and those soft fingertips delicately brushed over Sasuke's forehead, pushing his bangs to the side while leaving thin red streaks on the boy's pale, white skin. Itachi's breathing quickly was becoming labored, but he continued to reassure his stunned sibling over all of that, his voice a soft whisper. "It's okay.. Sasuke.. I gave you.. What you wanted.. Everything you.. Ever needed.. You can be.. Happy now.. Your vengeance.. As of tonight.. Is complete.."

The bloodied left hand perched by Sasuke's shoulder slowly moved down his limp arm, coming at last to his hand, and in a final gesture of giving the boy his desired vengeance, Itachi lifted Sasuke's fingers to be wrapped around the handle of the kunai, and quickly the right hand laced overtop of Sasuke's hand.

As the elder completed that motion, his upper body dipped down low again, his lips resting against his little brother's cheek, kissing him lightly, leaving a print in blood on the boy as Itachi's left hand moved to gently pet the teen again, and that weak, whispered voice poured out so ominously, but so utterly sweetly. "This is.. Goodbye.. Otouto.."

The fingers clenched around Sasuke's own tightened in a determined will, and knowing what was about to happen, Sasuke tried desperately to stop this at the last moment, unsure what was driving him, other than misguided emotions from a long dead nostalgia. His voice at last spoke up, cutting into the quiet of the death scene taking place, and he screamed out with all the strength his near-paralyzed body could muster. "No!"

But just as the word tore from his vocal chords, his brother's arm jerked from left to right, cleanly, deeply slicing his belly across, and disemboweling him. Sasuke tensed beneath Itachi, his eyes wide in fear as his brother's body shuddered, and Itachi let out a low groan of pain, his face pressed against Sasuke's neck, buried in the pale, soft skin, and then within moments the older male went slack, one last warm breath escaping his lungs, and collecting against the younger Uchiha's neck.

Sasuke was utterly still again, his own breath held inside, not daring to escape and make a noise to possibly cause him to miss the sound of Itachi inhaling again, the sound of his elder brother breathing, living, proving this to just be another cruel deceit, and not at all true.

But that next inhale never came, and Sasuke was left in bitter, dead silence, with nothing but his sibling's dead weight on top of him, a steady crimson wetness spreading out across his middle to prove Itachi had ever even been there. This realization was interrupted, however, by a slightly quicker pace of footsteps coming near, and the front door being slid open.

Sasuke's voice was devastatingly weak as he whispered, trying so hard to not be discovered, though he knew that man, Kisame, was coming right toward them, and that any moment the shark-brute would walk into the room to see this pathetic scene awaiting him. "Itachi..? Itachi..?"

This voice was not a strong-willed teen's voice, but a child''s voice, a terribly hurt voice laced in loss, the very final, last loss Sasuke could suffer- The loss of his only brother, his very last family member, his loving and gentle sibling. "Itachi... Itachi, get up.."

The boy's teeth clenched together as his face wrinkled in the onslaught of woe and possession of unbearable sadness. His heart felt it was being torn with every beat, every living beat, and it was sure to shred at any moment. Every breath burned in Sasuke''s chest beneath his brother's body, and his panic grew to an insane point, even as his own form was weakening, his brother''s last jutsu wearing on him, exhausting him from the inside out. He called out, his voice growing loud as he tried to struggle, as he tried hard to move, to do anything. "Niisan! Niisan, stop this! You have to get up now! ..Don't ignore me, get up!"

The young Uchiha's face was pressed against his brother's head, that abysmal-colored hair falling over the teen's blood-streaked countenance. For a moment he could barely breathe, his lungs locked up, but at last he managed to get the air to come back into him, shakily, and just as much so as it was exhaled again. His chest tightened to a painful level, his head pounding, and his face hot as tears found their way to his eyes, streaking down over his cheeks, carrying some of the blood away with them.

The moment was broken after a short period, however, by a dark chuckle, and Sasuke found himself looking up at a very amused Kisame, though the most he could do against the man was give him a cold, dark-eyed glare, not even having the strength to summon sharingan as it had been sapped by Itachi's jutsu, just as he had meant for it to be. He had meant for Sasuke to lie here helplessly as this man did as he wished.

"What do we have here?" The large man's voice erupted strongly, proudly, and very cruelly as he reached out, grabbing the body on top by the long, gorgeous locks, and he pulled him onto the floor, dragging Sasuke along as the younger male somehow managed to cling to his sibling with one arm, an intense emotional drive overtaking him in a moment of panic. He hit the floor harshly, but did not let go of Itachi, and as he held on, the brute decidedly separated the two bodies with one merciless kick. The blow landed against Sasuke's back, and he coughed as the air was bust from his lungs, but he refused to release his sibling- This either was frustrating or more amusing for the blue man, because he continued to kick the brothers about, astoundingly, focusing more of his kicks on the older male as he discovered that it provoked a greater reaction from the younger. Sasuke had refused to take the beating like a weakling when he was hit, but he was horrified and enraged beyond his emotional boundaries as the man dared hit his fallen sibling, his broken, destroyed sibling.

His strength at last gave out, though, and the teen was wrenched from his elder''s body, rolling a few feet across the floor, away from his brother, finally backed far enough to stare into Itachi''s face; The older male's skin was deathly pale, his lips parted slightly, and stained in drops of blood which continued down his chin. His eyes were half-open, glazed over, empty, and lifeless. The teen was very still, his eyes remaining on his brother, his dead brother, barely believing what he was seeing. Itachi, who was full of life hours earlier, was now utterly lifeless. He was gone. He was gone forever.

The boy tried very hard to move, slowly finding the last of his strength, and inching forward, his arm shakily raising up, his fingers just inches from the pale, beautiful face, that vacant face, but they were coldly smashed to the ground, the large, blue man severing any hope for connection, crushing Sasuke's fingers beneath his heavy foot. Sasuke did not even wince, but instead he stared up at the man, his glare deadly, and threatening, even as he was an unmoving mass of flesh sprawled on the floor, and could do nothing against the man taking advantage of his weakened state.

That man just scoffed at the boy, bending down and clasping Itachi's body by his ankle, shifting him out of the puddle of blood that had slowly formed, the crimson fluid that had poured from the elder Uchiha's gaping belly. Sasuke's eyes narrowed intensely, and he growled, his muscles taut, his teeth bared like some rabid canine. Even for all his fury and anger, he knew he was pleading now, and that there was nothing he could do. His words were meaningless, but he had to try. "N-No.. No.. Leave him alone.."

Weak, and near lifeless, Sasuke could not even keep his head up to look at the man, and it flopped to the side, his cheek against the wood of the floor, his eyes falling to find Itachi staring blindly right back at him, but his voice carried on, refusing to quit, and his hand reached out again as the foot was removed from over top of it. "He's dead.. Isn't that enough? Do you really.. Have to ...take him away, too?"

He tried, he tried so hard to reach his brother, to touch his brother again, to let Itachi breathe the younger male's breath again and bring him back to life. He wanted Itachi to kiss him again, to hold him again, to show him the kindness he tried so hard to force when Sasuke just stubbornly refused. He wanted a chance to take it all back, he wanted at least a chance, if his brother had to die, to let Itachi know he had lied.. He didn't hate him. Itachi was that kind, caring brother who held and protected Sasuke so many years ago, and he had given everything up for Sasuke, but Sasuke just wanted this nightmare to end. He wanted Itachi next to him, he needed Itachi, but as he continued to reach, Itachi was just dragged away.

Itachi was grasped by one leg and dragged along the floor, like garbage, like nothing. That man didn't even care about how great he was, how perfect, how kind.. He just dragged him, leaving a trail of blood as he carted him along. Sasuke screamed a weakened scream, though it was a half-whine, and he hated the sound, but he was desperate."No! ...I'll hunt you down... I swear it.. I'll.. Kill...You."

Kisame didn't even spare the teen a second glance. He continued to drag Itachi along behind as he walked steadily away, the sound of his heavy footsteps slowly fading as he rounded the corner, never to be seen again.

And Sasuke would never see his brother again.. It was over... Just as he had wished so badly..

...And it had been such a mistake, such a terrible, terrible mistake!

But there was nothing Sasuke could do. All his life, all the training, and struggles, everything.. It was all for nothing. His brother was dead now and the boy hadn't even been able to protect his sibling's body. He hadn't been able to mourn the loss which was so wrong, so wrong! He couldn't carry Itachi back to Konoha and lay him to rest where he deserved it, his peace, his finality. Itachi was all alone now, and cold, and gone; He lingered awake the night before, mourning his own broken heart, and he died willingly, knowing Sasuke hated him; he had no reason to live. Sasuke knew now that his brother must have been thinking that before he died, he must have been so anguished to know the one person his heart allowed inside despised him like wretched dirt, and Itachi finally merely given up.

The boy curled up, his body shuddering and shivering as his arms came to cover his head, and a tear crawled from each of his tired eyes, one meandering down the side of his cheek before dripping to the floor, the other sneaking over the bridge of his nose to follow in the trail of the other and crash in the exact same spot, the two sad droplets, together, a small puddle on the floor surrounding in a sea of red betrayal.

Sasuke's breathing steadied out, his body limp, though his mind was by no means calm- But he could not keep himself awake any longer, Itachi's jutsu finally lulling him into a full sleep and he whispered softly, unconsciously, as he exhaled. "..I didn't hate you, Itachi.."

Even now his sibling had strove to make sure Sasuke would get a good night's rest, even as the worst possible battery to his already weak nerves had occurred and the teen was utterly undeserving.

- - - -

Never again will I hear you  
Never Again will I miss you  
Never again will I fall to you  
Never  
Never again will I kiss you  
Never again will I want to  
Never again will I love you  
Never

- - - -

_Sasuke was unaware of everything that had happened, blissfully ignorant, and young again, though a sadness lingered in his heart, which he did not understand. The boy, only seven years of age, wandered curiously through the bright, beautiful halls of his old home, long before the dust and disrepair had set in, it seemed, and much before the wood and walls were stained with crimson splatters here and there._

_  
It was bright again, clean again, and the birds sang while the bees buzzed happily in the gardens outside the wide, full-length windows once more. The floors did not creak, and all the pictures hung perfectly on the walls as the smell of mother cooking breakfast filled the happy home and it's members with glee. But Sasuke knew something was wrong since he had woken up alone, expecting to see Itachi wrapped around him, holding him tightly with his face gently rested against the little boy's chest, his lips still pressed to the material of Sasuke's shirt as Itachi drifted off in the middle of a tender, loving kiss. He thought he would awaken to his brother laying next to him, still locked inside a happy dream of their togetherness, as still and calm as a resting angel, his lungs steadily taking one breath after another, a delicate harmony of life, life still strong and apparent in Itachi Uchiha.._

_  
But Itachi was not there, and Sasuke felt so empty waking to nobody, nothing; the person he wanted most and more than anything else was gone. He slid from his bed, now coming down the halls, and with quiet little feet he stood before the sliding door to the sunroom, opening it slowly to be greeted by his Aniki's back._

_  
He smiled serenely to himself, seeing his brother positioned on the floor, just watching the sun rise, and waiting for Sasuke to wake up. He smiled at the image of Itachi, clad in a delicate, thin, white sleeping robe, tied at his waist, and marked proudly on the back with the fan of the Uchiha, their crest. Those long, dark locks trailed straight down the older male's back, curving in waves just at the very tips, and laying over the white material in pretty, black patterns. Sasuke padded right up to him, kneeling behind him, wrapping those little arms loosely around his neck, and snuggling his tiny face, his little nose into his sibling's dark hair, kissing it, and loving him. Itachi smelled softly of lavender and of sweet, ripe plums, sprinkled with a thin coat of sugar, and clover fields in full blossom, those tiny white flowers swaying in a gentle breeze, so delicate, but so endless. _

_  
Sasuke never wanted to let go, but he did only in favor of looking at his brother''s face, his Aniki's perfect, doll-like face. He crawled around to sit on his brother''s lap, his elder sibling taking him, and holding him like something very precious, but as he looked up at his brother, his brother who was trying to look into the sunrise, he noticed Itachi''s eyes were faded, glazed over in a silvery coat. Itachi was blind, and he could not see the sunrise he loved so dearly. He was troubled by the darkness which surrounded him, and it was apparent in his empty, but melancholy eyes, so glassy and sorrowful as they stared into nothing._

_  
"It is getting hard to look into the future, Otouto.." He spoke, his voice as soft and gentle as it had always been, delicate and purred and warm for just Sasuke, and Sasuke alone. But his tone was so sad and Sasuke looked up at him, equally distraught that his beloved Aniki could not do this simple thing that he loved so much._

_  
"Because.." Sasuke began, his voice bell-like, and childish, but so very concerned for his sad older brother. "You've run out of time, Aniki?"_

_  
Softly, slowly, Itachi closed his eyes, and nodded, his arms tightening around his baby brother, not wanting to let go, and Sasuke rose up on his knees, wrapping his arms around his Aniki's shoulders, nuzzling into his brother''s neck, his lips delicately rested where his brother's pulse should have been, but.. Itachi was cold, and had no pulse at all. Sasuke pulled back a bit in surprise, looking up at his brother with questioning, not understanding why his big brother''s warmth and heartbeat had slipped away. Sasuke looked up to see quiet tears move down his brother's cheeks, and he whimpered softly, little fingers tracing the wet trails, rubbing them gently away._

_  
"Don't cry, Niisan.. I still love you."_

_  
- - - - _

_  
_Darling, I forgive you after all

Anything is better than to be alone

And in the end I guess I had to fall

Always find my place among the ashes

- - - -

"Niisan... I still love you...nngg.."

The teen opened his eyes a bit, moving his arms away from his pounding head only to be assaulted by the sun brilliantly shining in the windows. He groaned softly, his hands coming to cover his face as his dark optics tried to peep through the cracks between his thin fingers. The sun was shining so intensely, and happily, but once the young male finally managed to adjust his eyes to the light, he found himself laid on a hard floor, his back horribly cramped, and his head tender as it thumped it's complaints to the rhythm of the Uchiha's pulse.

For his groggy, sharingan hung-over moment, everything was lost to him. The early morning's happening had simply not occurred, and he sat up, rubbing his throbbing temples, trying to recall how he had gotten down on the floor. It was then that everything flashed back before his eyes; That kunoichi, Itachi's challenge, the two brothers' sinfully getting off at the thought of one another, Sasuke's refusal of the elder's secondary offer, Itachi's genjutsu, his death, and.. Being dragged away like a piece of meat by that big blue Akatsuki member.

With a grasp Sasuke's eyes opened, and his hands moved from over his countenance to the very first thing that immediately was put in his face- The puddle, and trail of blood leading out the door. He turned his head nervously to the bed, seeing the mattress stained red, a broken trail of blood from the scattered sheets, dripped all over the floor, back and forth in uncertain patterns, to the large puddle, and then the final trail out the bedroom door. Sasuke gulped, finding his feet with breathless fear, the horror in his curiosity- He wished to know what had happened to his sibling after he was dragged out of the room.

Slowly, nervously, Sasuke padded out of the bedroom, dark eyes following the blood trail all the way through the rooms, and out the front door, then down the hall, to the stairwell, Sasuke halting at the landing of the very top stair, his eyes scanning down as far as they could see, and he could tell that the trail went all the way down.. All the way down the unholy flight of stairs, Itachi was dragged by his ankle, his head surely thumping against each stair as he descended, and though he could not feel it.. Sasuke felt it now. Sasuke was the one torn up inside to know his elder brother, his brother who he had once looked up to, had been dragged down the stairs like garbage. The wise, compassionate, deathly skilled Itachi had been reduced to a corpse, and then disregarded and disrespected after he so selflessly ended his very young life just as it was beginning.

He lowered himself to his knees on the landing, just gazing down into the candle-lit stairwell, lost in thought; He had wanted so badly to kill Itachi, but even in his thoughts of Itachi's death.. He had never wanted his sibling tortured for endless periods, or dragged about, mutilated or degraded in any manner. He wished to let his brother die the same way Itachi seemed to live; Gracefully, quietly, just disappearing from the world in a quick and painless manner, and being laid to rest somewhere.

But Sasuke couldn't dare think of that now- He wanted Itachi so much now that the elder was gone forever and could never be seen again. He wanted to take back all his senseless hatred and make things right; Itachi had given him that chance so many times. Itachi had allowed Sasuke to see that he was mortal, sinful even, but not cruel or evil. He could be brutal, but he preferred to be gentle. He was complicated, and he was mysterious, but for Sasuke he could open up. He seemed cold, and uncaring, and twisted.. But he loved Sasuke, and he always had.

Sasuke had known this would happen. He knew the world would be a lightless one without his brother to chase and obsess over, but he was stuck on revenge; he was convinced that forgiveness was not the answer, that punishment was the only thing Itachi deserved, and here he was.. Missing his brother, like that little boy who wanted to stay only at his Aniki's side.

Was Itachi looking down on him now, and laughing? Was he amused, was he secretly whispering in an unheard voice, ''I told you so, Otouto.''? Was he happy that he had won the game, that Sasuke's idea of punishment in death for the elder had turned on him and was now the punishment of lonely purposelessness? No.. Sasuke knew Itachi would not be happy that the younger male was unhappy. If anything, Itachi was regretting his decision, wishing he had stayed and pushed harder, forcing Sasuke to admit he loved him and that he wanted him around more than anything else..

But Sasuke knew better than that. He was stubborn, foolish, and he knew he would have never known this misery if Itachi had just kept living. He would have never realized at all, because he was simply ignorant. But.. It did seem as though Itachi should have known this would happen, because he knew Sasuke even when Sasuke knew nothing of him. Maybe he just finally gave up hope, and gave his brother his life, as Sasuke so blood-thirstily pursued.

Sasuke had broken his brother's spirit. He had broken his brother's heart. He had broken his brother's very being and Itachi could not bare it. He resigned himself to suicide, because he did not want to live in a world where Sasuke could not love him in return.

Sasuke could never forgive himself now- He deserved to be next.

With listless movements, and a blank stare, the young teen picked himself up, sauntering from the stairwell, down the hall, back to the room, and he closed the door behind himself. He did not know what to do with his life anymore, aside from finding somebody else to blindly stalk with revenge as his motive- It was all he knew. He didn't feel like chasing or tracking, or any of that, however.. He knew he had threatened to come after the man that took Itachi, but that man was miles away now, and Sasuke just didn't have the heart or desire left inside himself to put up such an effort.

Then, as he made it back to the destroyed bedroom, something shimmering and silvery caught his eye, and looked down at the floor to see what this object caught in the sun''s golden rays was. He slowly, quietly walked over to it, kneeling next to it, moving to lift it fondly, and yet hatefully into his hands, his grip loose, and almost dazed. It was the kunai that had killed his brother, his kunai which had gutted Itachi and left him lifeless.

Strangely, though the kunai had certainly fallen from the dead man's grip to be left here on the floor, it was shining, and clean, not a single drop of blood on it despite the blood trails coating the floors. Sasuke could only conclude that the shape dispersed the blood when it was fresh, and what was not wiped away upon clothes and sheets dripped from the sharpened device without staining or streaking, because of how sharp it was. It was possible, but Sasuke believed.. He didn't like the blade without blood, and he wished Itachi''s blood were still on it..

..Because he wanted to lace his brother's precious plasma with his own, as he struck himself down in the same manner, and joined his brother in the afterlife..

Yes, he only had himself to blame for his brother's death, nobody else, and he made certain of that reality. So the only person he could plausibly turn his lust for revenge on was himself, and he sighed tiredly at the thought, accepting this decision as a good one, because he didn't want to move anywhere beyond Itachi's demise. He had no other place to go.

Nothing waited for him beyond this day, and he was without purpose in life, or even a place to go that he could call home. His brother was dead, his best friend was dead, he was an enemy to Konoha, and even though he didn't dream of going back to Orochimaru, if he wanted to he couldn't, because he was dead as well. Sasuke had taken everybody on his list out, and now it was his turn.

Slowly, he laid the blade back down in front of him, pulling both hands into the long sleeves of his white haori, bending his arms inside his sleeves, and raising them so that his hands slid out from the opening in the front, and he pushed it from his shoulders, letting it fall about his waist. He next reached out to clasp the handle of his kunai in his right hand, turning it so the point faced toward his vulnerable belly, while his left hand pushed his haori down fully, just to make sure it would not get in the way. His fingers trailed across his naked lower abdomen, causing him to tense, and his palm at last came to rest against the left side of his tender area, marking where the blade was to be driven in. He wanted to do this exactly as his brother had. He wanted to feel his sibling''s anguish in death, even though Itachi had said it was not terribly painful. Sasuke wanted to see for himself.

Just as Itachi had done, he slowly brought the tip of the blade to his gut, the sharp point resting against his flesh. The sharpness of it was not threatening, but rather a delicate feel, gentle almost, deceitful. He took a deep breath, his eyes closing as he prepared to slowly, fully drive the thing into himself, but just as his fingers tightly gripped the handle, a loud noise shook him from his concentration and the blade dropped from his hands.

He gasped, only so jittery since his mind dropped into the state of accepting death, and then took a few gulps of air, looking around to find the source of the noise, needing to know what random occurrence had disturbed his suicide.

Dark, doe-like eyes trailed the floor to immediately lock onto something and he abandoned his kunai in favor of crawling over to further investigate. The object had fallen from the table next to his bed, and now laid abandoned on the floor, silvery pages fluttering before falling still; A book, Itachi's notebook which he had carried about all this time, always writing addresses on the delicate paper for Sasuke in order to keep the game going on. It seemed somehow important as a belonging to the elder male, and with sentimental curiosity, Sasuke lifted the object into his hands, cradling it as if it were breakable and delicate. He firstly shut it, fingertips dancing over the cover before he flipped it open to the first page, his dark eyes captured by a tinge of dull green, a clover with four leaves pressed between the pages, kept safely inside. He was certain it probably was not the clover Itachi had given to him when he was a child, but.. Definitely, it was a reminder of that time for the elder. Sasuke bit his lip, his eyes narrowed as he turned the page again, making sure not to break the delicate leaves of the dried plant as he now looked upon the silvery sheen of the second page, and an elegantly written note, the penmanship graceful and elongated, with every curve in the characters so precise. He read the words quietly to himself, having not known the note was meant for him, though quickly he discovered.

''Sasuke.. If you're reading this message, then it can only mean you finally succeeded in obtaining your vengeance. I hope it is everything you wished for. I said to you once that I would always be present as the wall you had to overcome, and as I surely lay in defeat, you have gotten what you desired. That boy that once cried over the unfairness of the world can be soothed- Our family has undoubtably seen this, their youngest son is a son they can be proud of, and they certainly cherish you and hold you in the greatest light, while I am being punished for my unforgivable sins, where ever I may be. But though you now stand very high above me, I do not ever go back on my words to you. Even if I am no longer the challenge for you to chase after, I will always be there next to you, and I will always be with you. I'll tell you a secret; I -never- wanted your eyes, Sasuke. I did not let you live for my own sake, or I would not be dead today. Just the same as the day you followed me into the woods, witnessing the beginnings of my betrayal, and your very life was threatened because of your childish worries, I refused to kill you because you have always been the most precious thing to me. When I left you behind, I left the very last piece of my heart, but in giving it to you, I can be satisfied. I am fine with what has happened now, because I love you. With every ounce of humanity within me, I love you, and I wish the best for you, my dearest Otouto.''

As he read over the message, his heart clenched painfully, the guilt for what he had done still eating at him, even as there was near nothing left. But he sighed to himself, slowly, his body relaxing back into his state of depressed calm, and he glanced over his shoulder at the kunai, thinking on the words written in his elder brother''s notebook. Itachi was here with him; The older Uchiha's book had been placed at the edge of a table when he was alive, and now that he was gone, the book had fallen in just enough time to halt Sasuke from cutting himself and ending his life. Had Itachi planned things, even beyond his own death? He was still here protecting Sasuke in his own way, surely. The young teen could not at all think of this as coincidence, but a happening with further meaning.

He lifted the book up to his face, his forehead resting against the message his sibling had left for him, his hands shaking as he breathed in the scent still clinging to the pages, Itachi's scent. The elder had kept this book tucked inside his cloak, and it radiated his smell, a faint reminder of something that had vanished, just as well as the smell would fade from the thin paper in time.

The book was lowered back down to a level in which Sasuke could look at it, and he noticed just barely through the thin translucency of the silvery paper that something was written on the third page. Sasuke had been sure that Itachi's note would be the last entry, but with eager curiosity, just wanting to know what his sibling's hand had printed there, Sasuke turned to the last note, finding something very familiar to his eyes.

There were directions written down.

Itachi- He had always written addresses for Sasuke to go to on the paper from this notebook, every single time it was always on this same delicate paper. Sasuke observed the simple printing of the place unknown to him, uncertain where or what it was. He felt, most likely, that it was the next place Itachi had planned to meet Sasuke at, some other hotel which was gorgeous and extravagant, but the addresses Itachi typically left were only a few cities over from one another each time, and completely specific in the directions and placement. This one, however, was listed as being in the Wind Country, near the border of the River Country, between there and Suna, the Hidden Sand Village, and other than that it was incredibly vague. It wasn't terribly far, but it would be a much longer trip than the ones Sasuke was used to. But it was the fact that this place was far away and discreetly described that made it suspicious, and as Sasuke had no other place to go, or anything to do, he decided he wished to go, out of simple curiosity.

He shut the notebook and laid it back up on the table, gathering up the book he had thrown the night before and the coins that he had cast away from himself when Itachi offered them. Now, as opposed to then, he treated each one delicately, sentimentally, lifting them into his palm, and tightly closing his fingers around them. After he was sure he had gathered them all up, looking under the bed to make certain no more were left, he opened the table drawer to find the bag that had belonged to Itachi. The small draw-string bag was made of a silky black material that was very light, delicate, and adorned with crimson flowers which were stitched into it; Sasuke opened it up, and returned the coins to it, leaving it out upon the table with the two books that had belonged to the elder.

Next, he stripped his clothes from his disgustingly dirty body, and he set them to wash, hoping the stains of his brother's blood came out of his white haori, though he was certain there would probably always be a small tinge of red. With his clothes washing, he took advantage of the shower in the hotel room, ducking into the bathroom in his bare flesh, covered with stains of dried flakes of plasma and ejaculate fluid which was clinging to him.

He slid the paper screen open, and padded his naked body into the bathroom, shutting the door behind him and clicking it locked even though he was all alone. The floors were wood, as were the rest through the hotel, and off to the left of the rectangular room, by the back wall, perched below sliding, paper-screen windows, was a rounded tub of a beige coloration, surrounded by a rectangular wooden frame of a lighter brown hue than the floor. Hanging over the ledge of the tub was a dark brown towel, and Sasuke eyed the tub for a moment before padding off to the right. He thought a warm bath would help relax him, but he didn't care for it- He didn't want to watch the blood swirl around in his bath water as it melted from his alabaster skin.

In the center of the room, and also positioned accurately between two screen-windows was a counter, and sink, were a ovular mirror hung just above. Sasuke looked at himself in the mirror, seeing his brother's lip and finger prints traced about his face, dried in brownish red. It was in his hair, down his neck and shoulders, his chest, and stained about his belly, coating his hands, even beneath his short fingernails. He quickly searched the wooden cabinets under the counter, and the drawers for soap, washcloths, shampoo and towels. He gathered it all up- The complimentary soaps, all organic vegetable soaps with natural flower-scents, then a small bottle of shampoo, and another dark brown towel with a matching cloth for washing. When he had it in his grasp, he quickly turned for the shower.

The shower was made of three beige walls of flat, stone-tiles, and then the door, which was a cloudy, translucent glass sliding-door. There were small windows at eye-level, so even if the room were on the ground, in plain view of everybody, nobody would be able to see the naked boy in the shower without coming straight up to the windows, and sticking their head in. Since the building was fairly high off the ground, however, that wasn't even a worry. Above, on the sloped ceiling, was a sun-window, letting in a mass amount of light, so Sasuke could see every inch of his skin precisely, enabling him to tell where stains remained, and were they had been scrubbed off.

The teen shut himself inside the chamber, hanging the towel over the door, and he turned on the water, his skin first being pelted by cooler water, which he didn't mind as it wasn't freezing, but it quickly warmed up. He soaked under the spray for a few minutes, letting his mind wander into blank nothingness, a bit like deep sleep, while his eyes remained glued to the swirl of brownish red and clear spiraling down the drain between his small, pale feet.

Strands of inky black clung to his forehead in the damp steam rising in the air, twirling around him. He breathed it deeply before moving to a wooden basin in the corner of the shower, and he dipped his cloth into the water that had collected, lathering the small soap bar up on the washrag. He had selected the lavender scented bar, wanting to paste his brother's smell to his own body, wanting to carry it and hold onto it, and bask in it. He drew his brows together as his eyes shut, and he scrubbed at himself roughly, hard, not missing a single inch of his surface, determined to not look down at himself again until he was sure he would see nothing but milky white. His washing went on and on, and he eventually rinsed himself in the warm spray, wetting the cloth and ringing it to wash his face, to wash away the mark of the last kiss Itachi had given him, and those delicate touches drenched in blood, Itachi's blood. He wanted it all gone; He wanted the evidence to disappear.

When he finally did look upon his pale skin, he did not see the plain white he was expecting, but rather, he was tinged pink with irritation from his horrid treatment of himself. It would fade away, however, and then he would be clean again, even looking it. For now he reached down for the tiny sample bottle of shampoo, squeezing the clear-purple substance into his hand, lathering it in his short, black hair, and the same as he had with his body, he scrubbed at it furiously, needing the blood to vanish from his being, even if that blood would always stain his psyche.

Once more he rinsed himself, hoping the purity of the water would carry all the filth away, and now finished with his bathing, he turned the shower off, rubbing his body and head dry with the dark colored towel, keeping it wrapped around his waist as he exited the steam-filled room.

Once finished, he sauntered in his slow pace to were he had left his clothes washing. They were finished, and to his surprise, the blood was gone, completely gone, his haori vibrant white again. However, as he next set them to dry, he recalled that he would have to sit around in the nude until they finished. He sighed to himself, and padded back to the bedroom, dodging the blood on the floors, not wanting to dirty any part of himself again, not even the soles of his small feet.

He bothered himself with collecting the kunai from the floor, and finding the guard for the blade so he could more safely carry it without a holster. It may have been the weapon that killed his brother, and he hated it for that, especially that it was the kunai he had saved and prepared special, but he would not cast it off- He wanted to keep it. He placed it upon the table next to the bed, with the coin bag and the books, and amidst searching for the blade guard, he had also found something else. He opened the drawer to the dresser to find his sibling's cloak folded neatly inside, Itachi having gathered it at some point when Sasuke was sleeping, and placed it off the floor, orderly inside this container which was meant for an occupant's clothing.

Sasuke certainly did not pretend he wished to be part of Akatsuki, but the cloak, Akatsuki uniform or not, was his brother's, and the teen would not leave anything of Itachi's behind. He pulled the soft material from the drawer, letting it unfold as it was lifted in his hands, and just like the notebook, he brought it up to rest against his nose, breathing in the smell laced in with the threading, that pretty smell that was Itachi''s uniquely identifiable one.

For now, Sasuke wrapped the long garment about his shoulders, and he wasted some time by flipping through the pages of the book his brother had been reading last night, perching on the mattress on his belly as he tried to read; Sasuke didn't particularly understand much of it, or, he understood, but it was hard for him to find a sense of focus, as his mind was muddled with various things and it was not his own subject of interest. Before long he just found his eyes ignoring the print and scanning over the detailed pictures that decorated every other page. He was noticing, at this point, that just as he had in the shower, he was dropping into thoughtless dazes; his mind gained no knowledge, unable to focus, or even care. Not only had beauty drained from the world but life had been sucked out of him. He was practically napping in the sunshine of noon with his face rested against the pages of the reading material, his brother's cloak and scent blanketing his naked body before he even realized.

He awakened after about an hour of dark, dreamless, restless sleep, and dragged himself from the bed, putting the book with his other things, gathering it all into a light bag for travel he located in a closet. It was most probably something that belonged in the room, but was openly welcome to be taken by guests. He folded his brother's cloak and stashed it inside as well before he fetched his own clothes, which were still warm and crisp from being washed and dried, and he pulled his pants on first, buttoning them. Next he put on his loose, white haori and tied his sash at his waist.

He slipped back into the bedroom just long enough to tuck his weapon beneath his tied belt, put on his sandles, and sling the small bag over his shoulder. Then he left the room behind, quickly trotting down the hall, and to the landing of the stairwell, trying with all his focus to ignore the steady trail of blood down the stairs. He wanted to just forget about the image of a steady crack forming in the back of his brother's head as he was dragged down each little stair, blood caking in his formerly shining obsidian hair, clotting and tangling it into a matted mess. Sasuke didn't want to think or imagine, letting the black hole that was breaking and enlarging in the hollow realm of his mind consume and suck away all thought process.

He just climbed down, one step after another, one foot in front of the other, down, down, with the patter of his feet hitting the wood over and over, a quick pace, and steady beat, drawing focus, rhythmic focus, a tick-tock that gave his mind some peace, some rest, some blissful emptiness.

He was so far from everything, he was surprised when his eyes picked up a stationary lump in the floor, an organic form that laid, unmoving, and in the candle-lit well, he was unsure he wanted to know who or what it was. Some haunted part of him was fearful it was his brother, abandoned in the dark of the small, but very tall well, his skin as pale as that wretched snake, but colder, much colder, no longer having a smooth, silky texture, but rather, a dead, and rubbery one, detached from his musculature, and certain to rip and tear easily from his corpse. Sasuke could almost be sick, and he was much too cowardly, admittably, to dare face those dark eyes which he knew would be open and staring at him accusingly, silently asking, ''Sasuke.. Why couldn't you just admit you loved me?''

He took a breath, stepping nearer to the body, at last catching a tiny shift and a groan, which served to give him a useful clue to who really was laying before him. The tiny, feminine voice immediately clicked in his head and he mentally kicked himself for his poor remembering skills- Of course it was the desert girl who had been serving as a guard, and instantly he kneeled beside her, lifting her up into his arms to check and see if she was alright. He had not honestly worried about the woman, but he had used this against Itachi; What happened was almost exactly what he knew would happen. She wasn't able to stand against an Akatsuki member, even though she certainly was powerful and obviously well selected to match against Kisame. The teen had not expected her to be alive, though, and so lightly wounded by the sadistic blue brute. She was scraped here and there, but she had mostly been brushed off, knocked unconscious, it seemed, nobody finding her in this dismal stairway, and now she laid without anybody to help her but Sasuke. Sasuke suspected that her technique had been what kept her alive, and now.. He was obligated to help her.

She roused a bit, her consciousness dripping slowly back into her, and she opened her brownish red eyes, searching the room in blindness for something she would not find. Sasuke would suppose she was still in a daze as she came around, but in a slow movement her hand came up, her fingers touching the teen's face, tracing the details; His chin, and jawline, his lips and cheeks, his nose, his eyelids, and the bangs that hung near his face. He allowed the woman to do this if it made her any more comfortable in her disoriented state, but after her observance was over, her face wrinkled in confusion. Obviously she would not recognize Sasuke's face, because she had not touched it when she met him before, or the teen at least assumed she could not possibly know. Still, she thought for a moment, or either she was still confused, which he could understand- He barely recalled anything when he woke from his own stupor earlier this morning, and only the sight of things really brought back his memory. How frightening it must be to live in a world that was dark all the time.

Her pretty pink lips parted as she blinked and her normally cheery voice filtered out in the stale air with a tone of confusion. "You are not the raven.. But you look very much like him.. Are you.. Hawk-eyes?"

The young Uchiha had to think for a moment, forgetting that this woman spoke in a coded dialect of a dying nomad clan, calling people by intricate nicknames rather than their given names- Itachi was the raven whom she spoke of and hawk-eyes had been her nickname for Sasuke. Softly, he gave her an answer, his voice assuring the female of his identity, as she instantly recognized sounds. "I am."

Her confused appearance did not dim away, though, and Sasuke lifted her as he stood, continuing on his path downward, now determined to get her to a doctor before heading out on his journey. She had given her all trying to protect the brothers, after all, and she was on a mission to restore her dying family's kekkegenkai, when she could have died herself, and been robbed of the opportunity to help literally conceive that goal. She deserved to be helped, as surely nobody else would know she was here. She remained very still in the teens arms for a passing moment, waiting and seeming to listen to her surroundings with sensitive ears. Sasuke was unsure what, exactly, she was listening for, but when she spoke up, that question was given an answer.

"Where is the raven? Why is he not with you? Brothers should always stick together.." The voice was very soft, delicate, and wise, despite the woman's young age. She was undoubtably schooled in her clan's philosophies and Sasuke could now agree with what she said.. It was just too bad that it was too late to agree now.

A purred, defeated voice gave her a returned answer, the truth very difficult for Sasuke to speak of, though he handled it with more grace than he thought he could muster. "Itachi is dead."

He continued down the stairs, sparing a glance down at the woman as she gazed in disbelief, wide-eyed, looking so utterly distraught. She was so still, and quiet in Sasuke's gentle grasp, he was almost certain she would pass out again. Her head laid over to the side, and her joyous aura faded to nothing as she blindly stared through disappointed eyes. Finally she found it within her thin frame to speak again, now sounding terribly regretful, and broken, her voice lackluster, drained of the bubbliness Sasuke had encountered, which had been so deeply ingrained in her before. "This is.. All my fault.. I failed the raven.. I do not deserve the gift he has given me, as I could not keep him alive.. How can I ever expect to be able to care for a small and delicate life?"

"Please stop." The teen quickly interrupted her. He did not know if his jealously had provoked him to cut her off, or if he had even admitted such a thing to himself yet. No, he stopped her from what she was saying because he knew she did not deserve an ounce of guilt for the older male's life- The blood was not on her hands. "Last night.. Itachi took his own life. The man that managed to get past you did not cause any further damage to be done. That aside, you weren't here to protect my brother.. He brought you here because he wanted to protect me.. And I am still alive, so his intentions were fully met.. You do not have to blame yourself for what happened."

The words spoken fell on the woman's ears to cause surprise- She was just as shocked, obviously, to realize such a poetic existence as that of the raven she spoke of had been snuffed out and by his own hand at that. That man, so mystic, and intelligent, beautiful, and simply.. perfect, was gone. His young life had ended abruptly and tragically.

The conversation had at least aided in distracting the young male, because after his final words, there was a silence lasting about five minutes before he made it to the door leading out of the stairwell. He had paused at it, intending to open it by sliding it with his foot, but the woman's thin hand reached out first, her bracelets jingling with her movements and her braided hair beads clicking together as they hung down. Her thin fingers moved right to the seam of the door, pushing it open, and Sasuke quietly uttered his thanks.

Nothing more was said as he found his way out of the hotel, and he braved the busy city streets with the desert flower tucked easily in his grasp, her light weight no bother to him at all. At the noise outside, the woman winced at first, trying to ignore it, though Sasuke could tell it was hurting her ears, and he was uncertain if there was anything he could do, other than increase his pace. She was a creature who lived in darkness, and in quiet, far in the lands of deserts, away from such bustling civilization. She was a fish out of water here, and dark, doe-like eyes observed as she tugged at her scarlet bandana, pulling it down over her ears to drown out some of the noise.

Sasuke was quick to get her to a medical center and out of the noisy streets, handing her over to the doctors to be checked out. She only looked to be gashed up lightly but she had a badly bruised ankle that may have been twisted, along with having hit her head, though she seemed alright; Sasuke was confident she would be able to handle herself. She was a strong-willed sort and a skilled kunoichi. He did stick by her side long enough to dig through his bag and scrounge up a few of the coins that had been left over from Itachi's stash. He palmed about half of them and drew them forth to be tucked into her small hand.

"Itachi trusted you enough to carry on both of our clans. He is gone, but he left a part of himself with you. I will trust you now; I trust that you will take care of yourself and the child that may be granted to you. I hope we will meet again someday. Goodbye."

From there, Sasuke turned, and left, thrusting himself back into the busy city, into a long journey in search of something he was uncertain of. He would carry on now because Itachi had willed it and somehow he knew that without a single shadow of a doubt. His brother was just behind every wall and door, waiting for him. Walking beside him, only in view when the teen passed by a mirror or window, or body of water. He was in Sasuke's shadow, in Sasuke's veins, in his heart, beating and beating, so utterly alive, even in death, somehow, and Sasuke knew.. Itachi was missing, but his soul was telling him that there was still something so completely attainable about him, something he had not seen, because the teen was just so terribly ignorant, and so very sorry that he was.

But Sasuke wasn't going to be ignorant anymore. He was saving everything, every piece and part of his brother; he would reconstruct him if he could, and for any incompletion, he would gladly fill those gaps with pieces of himself.

He stared up, watching a single black crow fly over his head, and he smiled to himself through the emptiness. Itachi was still here. Itachi was still everywhere, just as he had always been. He was waiting until Sasuke was ready to accept him, and Sasuke was finally on his way.

- - - -

Can you hear me cry out to you?  
Words I thought I'd choke on  
figure out  
I'm really not with you anymore, I'm just a ghost  
So I can't hurt you anymore,  
...so I can't hurt you anymore..

- - - -

The trek, on foot, had been long and arduous, but the young Uchiha kept his mind riddled with whimsical waking dreams, distant and as lost as he felt on occasion. He only found the strength to persevere by keeping his brother close in his thoughts, keeping a positive note by not thinking of his guilt and his loss, and that night, or anything that had happened, other than the things that had given Sasuke hope.

He had read over his brother's note often, but mainly because he had to keep the notebook practically in-hand at all times. The directions written had not been so simple, such as a mailing address. One would think, after a while, that the place mentioned in the note was completely imaginary.

''..In the Wind country, between the border leading to the River country, and the Hidden Sand Village, but slightly southeast, tucked in gorge where the Sweet River runs, between the Desert of Mirages and the Glass Desert, lies the Oasis of the Crow Clan. The oasis is hidden by a red wall in the gorge, but there is an opening on ground level that leads inside. Find the opening, and follow the wall to the left once inside, all the way to the twenty-first door. That is the next location.''

Sasuke had managed to find a rest location while traveling along the border of the River Country, a sort of haven for those either bound for the journey across the desert, or those having just passed through it. It was a large sort of market, though it was dusty, and run down, while still very operational. It just seemed overly-used, and bustling, as if it was too busy at every given moment for anybody to make improvements. There really was no need, anyway, as the place was popular, and was the only area like itself sitting on the edge of the Wind Country's deadly terrain. There were rooms for rest and shops for food, drink, and clothing. There were even stores carrying shinobi tools, considering the River Country was bordered by the Wind, Rain and Fire countries, all of which were home to hidden shinobi villages and there was an over abundance of ninja who ended up here. There were stores that sold horses, oxen, and messenger birds, everything in common relation to a rough trip. There was a bit of everything for the highly-traveled area.

The structure of the market was similar to a barrack- It was so guarded in its build. The perimeter was large, and square, contained by a stone wall, similar to Konoha's defensive walls. The gates were not guarded, however, and were open to all, the only rule displayed outside was a simple plea that no shinobi come inside displaying village-markings or headbands; This was surely to keep any fights from breaking out between ninja from rival villages and Sasuke thought it was clever and quite nice. People's petty nationalism could truly disturb the way of things, and honestly that sort of insanity was unappealing and unimportant in Sasuke's view.

Once he made it inside he observed how the shops were lined along the walls, and then down the center in a row of back-to-back areas. He had come inside with very little intention of staying long, as he only sought two things: A detailed map of the Wind Country, which was easy to come by, and then directions to the Oasis of the Crow Clan. His secondary desire was something near impossible to obtain as nobody had ever heard of such a place. He passed through each shop, greeting each owner who claimed to have lived in the area for years, and knew it like the back of their hand, though when he showed them his map, and asked to be shown the location, best path to the Oasis of the Crow Clan, he was told each time that no such place was in existence.

He was able to gather some better information about the general area which was unsettled, almost unexplored, and he was thankful for every little bit he discovered; The Sweet River, for one, was not a true river, but a tributary that broke off from the main river that flowed straight across the Wind Country, the main river which Suna was built on top of and thrived from. The 'Sweet River' tributary flowed for about fifty miles in a Southeastern direction, forming the gorge just between the two main deserts of the Wind Country, the Desert of Mirages, which was flat, soft, and prone to heavy sandstorms and the Glass Desert which was more rocky, and barren, made of nothing but thick, reddish sand. The 'Sweet River', however, dead-ended at the end of the gorge, dropping into an underground water system, which meandered, and eventually came out in the bay on the Southeastern coast of the Wind Country.

His basic conclusion was that while the area had been explored, and most people knew a few bits and pieces about it, the place described to him in the note left behind by his sibling was hidden, exactly as stated. In the Wind Country, it was one wasteland leading to another, and generally, it wasn't worth heavily looking into, so nobody who lived in civilization knew about this place, and Sasuke would not find a person who did, no matter how he searched. He knew now with certainty that the place written was no location of a fancy hotel, and normally his common sense would write this off as possibly being something stupid- Perhaps Itachi just knew the oasis existed and was proud of himself for finding it? But because Sasuke would never know without finding it, and he had no reason not to, he was determined to get to the location mentioned, to at least look for whatever Itachi had found or left behind there. It was a simple matter of obsession.

The young teen was not particularly experienced with desert travel, however, and he found himself perched outside a small shop that produced filling drinks from harvested desert fruits. He was sipping on a bright, blood red beverage derived from an otherwise thorny and poisonous plant, that housed a thick pulp which was subtly sweet and highly nourishing, provided you could get inside without dying. He was looking over his map, and the marks other people had made for him, showing the general location of things; The Sweet River, the two deserts, the gorge, and the dead end where the river dropped into the ground. He would assume that the place where the river supposedly dropped off into an underground system that flowed beneath the Glass Desert was the 'red wall' spoken of in the note, the one that hid the oasis.

As for the Crow Clan, Sasuke didn't hear a single whisper of any such thing, nor had anybody he asked ever heard of it either, though he had a sneaky suspicion that he knew exactly what the Crow Clan was. He knew if this clan made it's home in the outskirts of Suna, living in hidden locations, and moving about often in small numbers to avoid being recognized as any sort of highly ranked family, then it was very possibly the same clan the blind woman belonged to, and the teen Uchiha had missed a hint that had been left right in front of him. That woman, Itachi had purposely placed her as the guard, because, had Sasuke realized earlier that she was of the Crow Clan, he could have easily just asked her to point out the location and trail to the oasis. But he had missed his chance, not realizing soon enough, and now he was stuck traveling the desert blindly and alone.

There was nothing to be done now, however, and he would not give up simply because he skipped one hint without his brother's aid; He gathered some food and a filled water-pouch for his journey, and set off, sticking to the path that led toward Suna, just along the main river of the Wind Country. However, when the river forked, he meandered from the road onto an unmarked trail, hoping that a safe haven awaited him, rather that a death trap he would not make it out of; He only could carry enough supplies to last until he made it to the end of the gorge, and if he found nothing there, then he would be stuck with nothing, to die out in a desert all alone.

- - - -

During his trip, Sasuke found that his clothes were not suitable. The first day he marched in the empty desert, his pale cheeks and chest were marred slightly from the sun's harsh rays by dusk, and it left him shivering from the burn in the cold desert night, his clothes not properly or fully covering him to hold in heat either, only accentuating the problem. He shivered for an hour or so before his tragedy-battered mind reminded him of something important. He was now carrying two small bags, one holding his supplies and his map, and the other holding his sibling's belongings, which he had not opened up since he placed the notebook back inside a few days ago. If he had only recalled this sooner, it would have been much more helpful to him, but he was becoming rather absent-minded, disgraceful, and he was unsure whether he could blame his lost purpose or just a flaw in himself.

From the bag where he had stashed his precious treasures, he reached a hand inside, and pulled the concealing Akatsuki cloak from within.

_Sasuke was just trying, now, to figure out why Itachi bothered wearing that cloak still. It was far too ironic, even for the heir- He was on the run from the organization, yet he remained clad in their signature guise. There was a chance that wearing the garment was habitual, or comforting, being that the older Uchiha was likely used to having it draped around him. Sasuke, on the other hand, only still wore his clothes from Sound because he didn't yet have the means to find anything new. The teen highly doubted that his brother wearing the cloak just thrown on and left open was a matter of inclination._

_  
_  
No; The night Sasuke arrived, Itachi had known exactly what would happen, how everything would play out, and the teen linked it all together as he laid wrapped in that heavy cloak, his body's warmth at last being held in, allowing him to relax, and lull softly to a state very near to sleep, a state which was clear of mind, despite the nearby borderline into unconsciousness. Itachi had made the guard that woman from the Crow Clan, knowing his ex-partner would not easily be able to kill her, but instead brush her off, leaving her alive to guide Sasuke to the oasis, which Itachi had written down the directions to in a notebook which he constantly used the paper from to write down _specific_ instructions, _specifically_ to be given to Sasuke. He left the notebook where he knew Sasuke would find it, be curious enough to read it, and intrigued enough by directions written on the same paper as always to set out to find the place mentioned. He kept his cloak, even though he was no longer a member of Akatsuki, just so he could leave it for his little sibling, who he knew would find his clues, and make a trip across the desert in inappropriate and revealing clothing; And here was when the cloak came into play, to protect Sasuke perfectly from sun, wind, and the cold. Sasuke could even go as far as assuming Itachi had known the teen would find a way to have him killed during the last round, and he arranged the place, the time of his death, and the certainty that his ex-partner would find him all around that simple assumption, that utter foresight and knowledge of predicting exactly and precisely what Sasuke would do.

It was sheer brilliance, and brotherly instinct that never left the older male, no matter how much Sasuke hated him, or how long or far apart they were.

Itachi had even made sure that Sasuke was able to sleep soundly yet another night, warm and safe, even out in the middle of the world's harshest wilderness. Itachi had seen to everything and Sasuke was helpless to show his gratitude.

- - - -

The travel beyond the first day was much more successful and much less destructive. Shielded from the sun, Sasuke kept on walking, one foot in front of the other, yet again, just as he had been doing all his life, drenched in determination, needing desperately to know what Itachi had made sure to lead him to. The second day of walking, before the sun beamed from directly above at noon, Sasuke had already followed the Sweet River to where the land began to descend into the gorge, which had been dug out over time by erosion. He was thankful for the hanging cliffs, as they provided some shelter beneath the ledges; Shade for the path Sasuke continued along, following like some blind wandering nomad himself, like a delirious younger sibling, set on a path to follow an older brother, refusing to stop even now that the elder was dead. No, that -was- what he was and he couldn't deny it. This torment of a journey that could very well end in his own death was the result of his obsessive chasing.

Without knowing it, he had ended a game between himself and his brother, only to start an entirely new one.

Eagerly, he was at last able to make out the end of gorge, and he hurried on his feet, dashing toward it at full speed, no longer looking to save his strength and stamina. He was hopeful for the end of his perilous journey, and as his eyes bore into the great, red wall, he ran until his thighs and calves burned and his lungs ached from his quickened breath, the hot, dry air irritating his throat. His path meandered slightly down into the shallow, flat, rocky banks of the Sweet River, his sandled feet splashing with every step, kicking water up onto the edges of the cloak and his legs, but it was refreshingly cool, while not shockingly cold, and he welcomed the chilled substance that was soon clinging all about his tired legs.

He kept his pace along the tributary, right up until, as he was told, it came to an abrupt end, an obvious hole in the ground sucking the water in, and causing the current to pull strongly; If the river had been wider, and more deep, the hole a bit larger, the current would have been unstoppable; that hole would have surely been a death trap if it flowed underground for miles until it met the ocean. If the young Uchiha dared step off into it, he was certain he would have died, because already the pull of the water was rough, and insistent, the hole just large enough to jerk a human body down without giving one enough room to spread out and climb back up against the current. Cautiously, Sasuke crossed the end of the river, keeping his distance from the underground drop before the dead-end wall of the gorge, and he began along the great, red surface of the cliff edges, finding the gorge to be extremely wide, and therefore, the opening would be easy for travelers to miss if they weren't looking for it specifically. Sasuke seriously doubted that anybody would come such a distance out into the desert looking for this place, under the low circumstance that they heard about it, and finding it by happenstance seemed very near impossible.

This only drove him to want to find out himself that much more, just knowing his brother had known of something the locals on the border, who had lived here all their lives, did not.

The closer the teen got to the edges of the gorge, the harder he was finding it to stay near the wall. Along the shaded walls grew some dense, and hearty shrubbery, though it was all brittle and dried. The boy took a slight detour around it, and just as he was beginning to fret about there not truly being an opening in the wall, he came upon a path cut through the mess of winding, dried trees, and choking, desert thorn-vines. Slowly, warily, he entered into the dark net of browned vegetation, his heart thumping painfully hard within his chest in response to his growing apprehension, noting that this path was not simply a trail into a den of wild animals, as some could assume from outward appearances. He could see from how the circle had been cut precisely, branches and shrubbery being halted abruptly at cleanly-sliced edges, that it could only be the work of a human hand- This was it!

His feet carried him nearer and nearer to the great wall, the guard-forest growing thicker around him, though the trail was easily accessible throughout its entirety. With what seemed like a deep breath that was held in as he plunged into dark waters, he stepped through a short cave-like tunnel carved into the red wall, and came out into a wide-open space of green meadow-grass, dappled with fruit-bearing trees and shrubs. Harvested vines hung along human-strung wires and an assortment of desert plants that were highly nourishing were each heavy with ripened fruit, all grown and maintained by the hands of people. In the center was a lush pool of crystalline water, undoubtedly a backup, or dug up pond from the Sweet River and it's underground pathway, which served to form the life-maintaining area Sasuke had walked into.

A small population of mostly women, he noticed, wandered about, only a few stopping to turn his way and acknowledge that he had halted in their makeshift doorway. They all seemed to be as sightless as the sunny blonde he had met the night Itachi died, some with decorations covering their eyes, and some with uncovered faces that looked into nothing apparent as they saw only darkness. Each of them were dressed in loose-fitting, mismatched, and vibrant colors ranging from brown and burnt oranges, heavy crimsons and deep golds to lush greens and soft blues, everything having such a natural, nature-based appearance. They all had long, untamed hair, mostly either twisted into dread locks, or braided intricately with various dangling decorations. Those decorations were not just in their hair, but around their necks, waists, ankles, and wrists, jingling, clicking, and making soft noises as they carried on their paths, every one of them humming softly to themselves, changing tunes as they changed direction, nobody once running into anything, or anybody else. It was a lost society of a lost clan of people, but so peaceful-seeming in the secrecy.

A wide selection of domestic, and semi-domestic animals tread about; Horses and goats, sheep, and dogs, cats and a wide range of birds of every shape, size and color. There were pigeons and hawks, eagles and owls, peacocks, chickens and ravens. It was clear that these people had an affinity for feathered, winged creatures more than anything, the birds all freely perching wherever they wished, each tame to the hand, and sociable with one another, even in the lace of various species. Sasuke was taken by surprise when a bird unexpectedly landed upon his shoulder, only realizing then that it was a person, that people were the ones that kept them all fed and healthy. The sudden feel of nails clinging to his garment was shocking, but as he glanced over to observe the fat, ebony blackbird which had come to him, he allowed it to stay.

Recalling the directions, with only one step to follow now that he had made it to the oasis, he finally moved to follow the red rock wall that enclosed and hid the oasis from the world, baring off to the left, just as instructed. Carved into the wall were the homes of these people, though the red stone had been smoothed to a glassy surface, with doors and windows neatly cut out, and hinged with wooden covers that could easily be opened and shut. Some of the homes had intricate designs etched along the walls, every one with it's own personal difference, which most certainly appealed mostly to the sense of touch as people could pass by, tracing fingers along the decorative crevasses.

The twenty first home, however, was very different in the fact that it had two large, glassed windows upon it's high, frontal wall, above the door and the windows below. The young Uchiha took a breath, unsure what he was expecting as he came to the door, and softly rapped his knuckles against it, the black bird on his shoulder fluttering off then to land in the window.

He could hear soft footsteps coming toward the door, a steady pitter-patter, and then, just as they were very close, they stopped, a hand clutching the handle of the hinged door, and it was opened. There, in a single moment of silence, the teen's impassive face stared into a set of inky black doe eyes, much like his very own, and those pools gleamed directly back at him, looking and seeing him, unlike any of the other people here could. Those inky optics were framed above and below by thick, black doll lashes, and they rested perfectly on a pale, melancholy face, which was caressed by choppy obsidian bangs that fell against this person's cheeks and forehead.

And though this -still- was a description that almost matched his sibling, this person was not his sibling, but a woman who he knew was familiar, but he could not recall where he had made contact with her before, or how he could possibly know a woman who lived out in the deserts of Wind Country. Another thing he did not know how to handle at this very moment was how to explain that he had come knocking on her door after being led here by his fallen brother- Perhaps this had been a mistake

When the woman's kind, dark eyes strayed from Sasuke's image, she seemed to look behind the boy, around outside a bit, anxious and worried, then back at the young male. Full, pink lips parted hesitantly as she looked upon Sasuke's blank visage, and beyond her nervousness, she spoke up, questioning, but with a frail, and delicate sense of certainty about the thing she asked, a fearful ring in her tone. "Uchiha Sasuke..If you are here, then that means... Itachi is dead, isn't he?"

A soft breath escaped from the teen as his brows knitted together delicately, and he was left looking at the woman standing there before him, but looking through her at the very same time, uncertain as to what was going on and why, making him hesitant to speak of Itachi under those circumstances. But still, as she waited for his answer with the slightest look of painful impatience, he gave a soft nod of the head, only to see her careful persona crumble, leaving her looking terribly crestfallen.

Ignoring her own distraught emotions for now, she stepped aside, opening her door to the teen standing there, who was surely exhausted and left without food from the long journey, and whether she liked it or not, she was part of a people who wouldn't shut their door on anybody in need. She could tell Sasuke was wary, and did not know what was going on which was to be expected, so she raised her head up enough to look at him, and gave him a gentle, reassuring nod. Then, like a small, defenseless animal being coaxed by gentle hands with delicious snacks, the Uchiha stepped just inside to allow the door to be shut behind him.

With the click of the door came an excited call from somewhere inside the house, and Sasuke snapped his eyes over to look toward the hallway, where he could hear a rush of little footsteps coming directly toward the room. As quick as lightning a little body had emerged from the hall, shot right across the den, and hit Sasuke with all its force, small arms wrapping around his waist tightly as the child's face was lost in the heavy cloak still draped over Sasuke's body. With an expression that was nothing less than aghast, Sasuke stared down at what he was certain was a boy, age five, perhaps six. All he could see as the child clung to him was a head of sleek, obsidian hair, grown to the boy's shoulders, a few locks braided, and decorated with gold beads here and there. The young male's shoulders were wrapped in a sheer, navy blue scarf with golden threading stitched in delicate patterns, which appeared to be in the shape of cranes or perhaps peacocks. The loose sleeves about the boy's tiny arms were covered by a deep gold material, which looked thin and breathable, and in uncertain patterns it was dappled with violet blossom-drops of color.

The teen's shock faded away, as being greeted with welcome by small creatures was becoming a normal thing since his arrival. He was peering down impassively when the child looked up, and the undeniable truth of -who- this boy was appeared crystal clear before his very eyes; He knew exactly, because he found himself looking down at an elegantly shaped face with innocent, but sharp, glassy abysmal eyes beneath lashes like butterfly wings, and cheeks marred by a pair of dark creases crawling steadily down. This boy was Itachi's spawn; his son.

The younger male, upon getting a good look at the Uchiha clad in Itachi''s typical clothing, took a few steps back, his young face twisting in confusion, his eyes helpless with misunderstanding. "..You aren't my Otousan.." A small, but velvet voice, steady and calm but pitched at a child's level spoke out, looking between Sasuke and the woman, finally coming to rest on the lady and addressing her. "Okaasan.. Who is that man?"

The dark-headed lady smoothed her reddish and tangerine colored robes before looking nervously at the boy who was clearly her son; It was apparent that at any moment she would have to give her offspring bad news, and Sasuke, observing the entire situation, couldn't help but feel guilty, practically ashamed to be standing here right now, the executioner to this little boy's father who the boy had obviously been ecstatic to see. Was this a kind of ironic punishment?

"He is Uchiha Sasuke.. Your Ojisan." The young woman answered the tiny boy's inquiry as the little male still looked over at Sasuke with a scrutinizing stare, measuring Sasuke's worth in the same way Itachi could have and would have. It made the teen Uchiha uncomfortable in the most haunting fashion- Even now, in a way, Itachi was giving him an accusing look, reflected by this small child presently.

"Where is Otousan?" That voice was curious, and sounding without worry, unaware of the possibility that his Otousan could be dead. Instead, he seemed to ask where Itachi was in such a way that the boy probably assumed he was still off somewhere, or just hadn't made it here yet.

The mother's head was lowered slightly, her eyes guilty and her heart heavy; She could barely even look at her son. Sasuke knew because he spared a glance at her before looking away, feeling his demeanor shrink to that of a dog with its tail between it's legs. He wasn't sure he could avoid melting into nothing from this, though the woman found it in herself to bravely speak a true answer to her hopeful child, swiftly breaking his hopes in half. "Otousan.. Won't be coming back."

Falling in still silence, the little boy's dark eyes widened, any color that had been present in his face fading away as he gaped, barely able to comprehend this suggestion, obviously having been close to his Otousan, though Sasuke could not very well ascertain how often Itachi was around, or how much time the elder had spent with this child. Even accepting that Itachi had a family that he actively was part of felt like something imaginative but false. This particular child, however, while obviously very upset, merely looked between Sasuke and his mother again with a sad expression painted on his face before bolting like a tiny apparition back down the halls from which he came.

There was a long, awkward moment as the child left, and with each breath he took, Sasuke felt that one more second of silence would cause him to tear his nails into his skin, ripping his face off. What did Itachi mean in sending him here? He had finally come to accept that his sibling had probably suffered enough in his time to have been well-enough punished for all the wrong committed, and that his good intentions, the love he had maintained from so long ago.. Those were fair redeemers. Itachi did not deserve his death; He was right, his passing did not make Sasuke happy, or pleased. But why was Itachi doing this to him? He must have known his little brother would realize his mistake from the very first hour Itachi's life was extinguished, so why make Sasuke feel even more guilty?

The teen's body shook for a reason he could not identify; Guilt? Sadness? Anger? Weakness? Hunger? It was a question with far too many answers, but braving his breakability, he looked up at the quiet woman, who was gleaming at him with an indecisive look in her large, ebony eyes, and he spoke in an unwavering, but woeful tone. "I should go.."

"No." The woman cut in, her mind finally made up. "No, you can't.. I know you can't possibly have supplies to make it back across the desert. You'd die out there and I won''t let that happen.. Please. Come with me.. I'll make us some tea." She lowered her head, her bangs falling from beneath the crimson scarf wrapped about her head, and she turned, red and brownish robes dappled with orange fluttering with her gracefully refined movements. With quiet, melancholy kindness she led the teen Uchiha from the den, into her dining area, though an archway carved into the stone which made the house.

As opposed to the cozy appearance of the den, the dining area was made to seem more roomy, with the ceilings chiseled high up into the stone of the cliffs, the walls all the same burning, stony red. The massive glassed windows let in a fair amount of sunlight from above, while the smaller ones below were left with the wooden shutters pulled open, purple sheers decorating the tops and sides, and keeping too much vibrance from heating the room unbearably.

The table was placed in the center of the mostly empty room, an elegant feel about the freedom from clutter, and a very clean appearance, despite the house being a, for lack of better word, man-made cave. One would assume it to be dusty, and stale within, but every surface from the walls to the floor were polished, exceptionally clean, and the air was tainted subtly sweet with natural flower and fruit fragrances. Sasuke made his way over to the low-sitting table in which the top was made of a very rich, dark-brown wood, and the soft cushion he curled his legs beneath him and sat upon was patterned in saturated, dark orange and yellow. In the center of the surface-area was a small, orange, paper lantern screen housing a burning candle, and Sasuke kept his vision on the flicker of light to remain focused and relaxed.

He felt very out of place as he sat alone, the woman ducking into the carved-out kitchen area to fetch a pot of tea; In truth Sasuke was not alone, because he could still see and hear the woman moving about, but the silence, it was eating at him again, everything here too new, and sudden, just like Itachi's death. Sasuke had been so set on seeing his brother die, but then everything occurred so quickly, taking his breath, and leaving him confused, blind-sided. This only added to that.

Dark optics scanned over, watching the woman's back, her hands ducking into baskets she pulled from under the stone counters, her head, her immaculate face turning to watch as a pot of water steamed a few feet away, sitting on top of a stove that was kept warm with either some sort of scavenged brush or hot stones. There was something about that woman's delicate movements, her grace that was obviously feminine, but partially derived from shinobi discipline. Her respectful, kind nature, and her subtly sad appearance reminded the teen of his own mother, but it was familiar otherwise, and he knew he had seen it.

A moment passed as he searched his mind for the source of his feeling, and suddenly it occurred to him-  
_  
At last he was allowed to fully scan the room, and as he did he met eyes with somebody most interesting; It was a dark pair of eyes he found to be looking back at him; Dark eyes placed on a creamy-pale face that was framed with choppy black bangs. Regretfully, though this person's description would have sounded very much like Itachi's, this person was very obviously a woman. She had a frail, delicate appearance, and a neutral, melancholy expression, very mannerly gestures, and Sasuke noticed, long black eyelashes. It was most obvious as her eyes darted away once she was noticed, and as they were downcast her lashes grazed her cheeks in a most breakably beautiful way._

_  
_It was then that he had seen her, in the teahouse the very first day Itachi made contact with him. She had been alongside that blue man, easily socializing with him, at home in his presence. That must have been how it was. She followed the team from time to time in order to stay near Itachi, and on that particular day she had been left with the brutish Akatsuki while Itachi kept an interested eye on Sasuke; He was watching Sasuke watch for him, intrigued, and amused.

It did not take the female, who Sasuke assumed was Itachi's lover, very long to come padding back into the dining area with a brown ceramic teapot in hand and a set of rounded cups. She lowered to her knees on a cushion as she placed the pot on the table near the boy, giving him and herself both a cup, and she poured both almost full. Sasuke thanked her quietly as frail fingers wrapped around the small, brown cup, and it was lifted to his lips, the warm substance carefully being sipped upon. It tasted lightly sweet, and similar to the way a rose smelled- It was different to him, certainly, like a mixture or recipe only known to these Crow Clan people.

Though, it was curious, and Sasuke had noticed this before- This particular woman of the Crow Clan was not blind as the rest were. She was the exact opposite in appearance of them as well. She was dark-headed, and pale, more resembling an Uchiha than a fellow member of the Crow Clan consisting of tan, blind women, each with golden, white, or caramel tinged locks.

Sasuke could not yet make any conversation of it, however, because the woman wordlessly slipped back into the kitchen, fetching something further than the tea, which she returned with swiftly.

A rectangular plate was set before the teen, upon it's surface waited a serving of onigiri and small servings of orange and ruby fruits, both smelling deliciously fragrant and juicy. He would suppose the tangerine-colored slices were something resembling apricot, while the red fruits were clearly some sort of berry just like the ones that could be seen growing outside. But Sasuke had no idea why the food was put in front of him, and he gave the Crow Clan woman a most confused look, which she answered to with ease, understanding.

"You seemed a bit weak.. I thought you probably had a rough trip and could use a bite." The frail woman gave her answer, looking down at her own steaming cup of tea as she lowered herself gracefully to the cushion, smoothing her robes beneath her knees just before her legs met the soft surface. Even for her kindness, she regarded Sasuke with _too much_ open, willing acceptance. She was disregarding that she knew Sasuke had caused Itachi''s death, too utterly willing to put that aside. It seemed too much like Itachi''s greater-than-thou attitude, but maybe it was only alien to Sasuke because he lived his life seeking vengeance rather than finding forgiveness within himself. He could do nothing but admit that he had been wrong.

"So.." Sasuke started to speak shyly, humbly accepting the food as he nibbled at the rice, eating slowly, chewing, and swallowing before he continued. "You people are my brother's.. Family?"

The teen Uchiha had almost cringed at the word, feeling his jealously rouse beneath the surface again, and this time around he could only admit to it- Yes, he was jealous in knowing Itachi had started again without him. That Itachi had other loved ones besides him. That Itachi had more of a chance at living his life happily than Sasuke himself, and Sasuke cut that potentially satisfied future short dreadfully early. The fact that the woman sitting here sipping tea with him was so warm, and so much the same as Itachi would have been if he could sit here with the teen, made the wounds sting that much more. "And yours, Sasuke."

Not that certain things weren't plain to see, but Sasuke wanted verbal proof, he wanted to hear it said that the young boy who had rushed up to him before had truly mistaken him for his own Tousan, which was assumed to be Itachi. He kept his voice down as he continued nibbling at the onigiri between his minutes of speech, sampling some of the desert berries to find them to be remarkably sweet, with an almost spiced bite against his tongue. "And that boy is Itachi's son?"

"Yes, Akemi." The female responded smoothly, nodding a bit before bringing her cup to her lips, watching Sasuke do the same, and then those lips parted to continue her words. "He is our eldest son. Haru is our youngest son."

"That''s right.." Sasuke muttered to himself, dark eyes flickering about the table in contemplation as he spoke softly. "When I saw you that day at the teahouse.. You were pregnant. And you''ve given birth since then, I assume." Again the teen stated the obvious, lingering on the borders of small talk as he finished off the fruits that had been given to him, having truly been famished. He took a drink from his cup, letting the female answer him.

She smiled to herself with a nod before her frail voice was spoken surely. "As you can tell."

"Then what does this make you?" Sasuke focused hard on his reflection in the steaming cup of tea, still convinced that it was indeed his brother staring up at him from the liquid surface as he kept himself from any facial expression. Sasuke''s eyes even felt a bit tired as he lowered his voice down to a barely audible growl, some hint of spite sticking to his tongue, though not completely obvious. "..Itachi''s wife.. His lover?"

The female quickly blinked, and looked away from the teen, something inside her having been crudely stamped upon, but not necessarily by Sasuke. This must have just been one of those more touchy subjects with her. "..No. Our relationship is.. Difficult to explain.." She paused, not being met with any offers to skip the explanation, so she took a breath and continued as Sasuke kept a rice ball in hand, nipping at it every moment or so. "We met a long time ago, back when the Uchiha clan was thriving. They came here once a year, our close allies, our family. The father of the Uchiha clan was brother to the father of the Crow Clan, and from our common ancestors, two different kekkegenkai came into creation. Our kekkegenkai, which is auditory, and the sharingan, which optical. For a long time the Crow Clan, however, has been diminishing, and because of that, each year the Uchiha Clan came to aid us, selecting a certain number of sons to be wed to Crow Clan daughters. However, there was also a different plan in motion besides just restoring our numbers. I was born of an Uchiha and a Crow, but I was the first to ever be born with both kekkegenkai; The sound-hearing based Crow Clan ability as well as Sharingan.."

She paused, taking a sip of her tea, and a breath so she could smoothly continue. "I was fated to be wed into the Uchiha Clan as part of the head family; It was arranged when we were kids that Itachi and I be married... Of course that was never able to happen, as the Uchiha Clan was extinguished. But since Itachi and I had been friends as kids, being that we saw each other for a certain period every year, and because Uchiha are welcome among us, Itachi came back every year, even though he did so alone. I don''t know if he really wanted to revive his clan more powerfully than it was, or if he just sought shelter from time to time, but whatever the reason.. We stayed friends. And that is how we remained. Then, when the time came, I expressed a wish to still produce children with him, eager to keep my own clan thriving, and with a desire to keep the Sharingan in my gene pool. He was really the only person who I could have asked, and we had become close friends, agreeing in our morals, philosophies, our hopes and wishes, and opinions.. He agreed with ease, but as far as being a lover.. He never allowed himself to be that close. He had somebody else that he had given his heart to..."

The woman's words ended abruptly, but she left meaning to it hanging in air for a moment to be perceived. The young teen didn't look up, knowing it was him she spoke of as Itachi's beloved person, and all he could feel in response was guilt. But the woman did not allow Sasuke's discomfort to allow her to falter and she picked up where she left off. "By now, you probably know who that person is, Sasuke, if you haven''t been too stubborn to realize.. Itachi was restless, and he spoke often of you, of the unfinished business between you.. Had it not been for that, I myself easily could have fallen in love with him.." She cut herself off for a moment, and Sasuke dared to glance up for a second, capturing the visual of the woman's regret, seeing and knowing now why she maintained such a melancholy appearance. "But it could not be.. You were his most important person and he left this place for the last time to accomplish.." She stopped, her words taking on a certain low, misunderstanding tone, and she turned her cup up once more. "Whatever it was he accomplished in giving you his life.."

There was a break, a silence that hung around the two, and Sasuke breathed a sigh as his eyes shifted up from his empty plate, bravely connecting with those of the woman sitting near him. He took initiative to cut the heavy silence himself, his voice unfeeling and steady. "Despite your kindness.. you seem to regard me with resent."

The dark eyes of the woman narrowed slightly, her voice taking on a certain sharpness. "How can I not? You took my sons' father away from them."

Sasuke responded as if his answer to that fact was a definite thing, something he was sure and proud of, even when he was not; He didn't know why he bothered trying to justify his actions when he was just as regretful. "And he took the entirety of my family from me."

It was obvious, perhaps, that Sasuke''s resolute had faltered a bit, and the woman softened her own tongue again, speaking in a wise tone, something akin to all-knowing Itachi. "Then I hope keeping the chain of bloodshed going was appropriate vengeance for you.. As if more senseless killing really makes you any better."

"Please, I know!" Sasuke cut in, his hands balling up in a sudden, but minute fit, which slackened, and died off as he allowed his bangs to fall against his face, his eyes lowering again ".. But he was being pursued by Akatsuki, and he gave himself up to keep them from shifting any focus on me, and, I assume, to keep you all safe as well.. If he had come back, they would have followed him here... I wish I could have done something, or that things would have been different. I know now he didn't deserve to die. But I could only realize that after he was gone.. And I certainly hadn't known any of you existed.. Then again.. If I had, then I would only have that much more reason for resent. He left me without a family.. And then he started a new one for himself.."

With a soft, clearly defeated voice, and carrying himself in a downtrodden manner, the Uchiha lifted himself from his cushioned seat, not wishing to stay any longer- He had rather face the harshness of the desert and let it claim him so he could be with Itachi again.  
"Wait!" The woman shot up as well, a soft hand reaching out to clasp Sasuke's delicate wrist. She didn't hesitate to explain herself, even though her words were difficult.

"..Itachi is gone- He didn't start a new family for just himself. He left a new one behind for you.. That must be his purpose in sending you here.. So stay. You don't have a home, Sasuke, or anything to go back to and I know it.. Stay here with us. Even if you caused Itachi to die, you are still welcome, because.. You were precious to him."

Sasuke had nothing to say back, as the woman was absolutely right. And though he hesitated, something deep inside told him to stay, and he softly nodded his head; He knew he could leave easily when he didn't wish to be here and when it was too much for him. But, for the moment, he could not ignore that feeling pulsing in the back of his mind, telling him that there was still something left behind for him to go and find.

- - - -

I long to be like you

Lie cold in the ground like you

There's room inside for two

and I'm not grieving for you

I'm coming for you

- - - -

Given a room, a small, four-walled room with the essential bed for rest, Sasuke was allowed to settle in all on his own. He had bathed himself in solitude, calming his strained nerves, his psyche so stretched from everything that had happened, and now he was perched on a soft mattress, the sheets crisp shades of aqua, navy and emerald green; soothing colors. He absently allowed his pale hand to caress the silken material, his mind blank and wandering in eternal darkness.

He was empty now, a shell, a body staring blankly, taking up space, air, food and time. His fingers clutched the cool sheets, thinking of the blade still comfortably tucked within that small travel bag which was stashed in the closet now, just within reach. Sasuke couldn't take his life here, because he didn't want to subject these people to that, but he could sneak out into the desert unnoticed. He wanted to be with his brother again.. Or else.. To at least be punished for his close-minded vengeance.

Dismal, dark eyes flickered over the bookshelf on the wall opposite the bed, observing all the colorful covers of what were undoubtably children's books, and then, at the sound of a voice, Sasuke looked over to the cracked doorway, a small column peering into the darkness of the hallway.

The young boys shared a room exactly across the hall, and the woman's was directly next to them to the left. Any speaking that went on was audible, provided the doors were open. The small bell-like voice that Sasuke could hear now certainly belonged to the young boy who had hugged him by mistake earlier. With uncertain curiosity, Sasuke padded to his door, stepping softly out, and he took a few steps across the hall to stare into the cracked door of the boy's room.

The elder boy was propped with his arms rested against the top of the baby's crib, and he was speaking softly down to the sleeping infant, who was curled among blankets, not listening though Akemi went on with child-like persistence and purity, his little voice so soft and affectionate, though somehow sad as he whispered a soft bedtime story. "..And so, because of her brother's actions, Amaterasu locked herself inside a cave, casting the world over in darkness.."

Sasuke sighed under his breath, and backed into his room, haunted by his sibling even now, by all the little things that he had left behind. Turning out the lights, he crawled into bed, feeling that his own world had been cast over in darkness without Itachi.

- - - -

Lithium, don't wanna lock me up inside

Lithium, don't wanna forget how it feels without

Lithium, I wanna stay in love with my sorrow

But god, I wanna let it go

- - - -

TO BE CONTINUED


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N:** Please read, this is **VERY** important! This is the FINAL chapter of DPWM! To celebrate the end of my cherished story, I'm going to start on two new chapter-fics, 'Let's Watch This City Burn' and 'Doll Face' and then I plan to update 'Darko' and I want to put up a poll asking you all, my readers, which fic should become my main focus from now on.

Enjoy chapter nine!

- - - -

Try to leave a light on when Im gone  
Something I rely on to get home  
One I can feel at night  
A naked light, a fire to keep me warm  
Try to leave a light on when Im gone  
Even in the daylight, shine on  
And when its late at night you can look inside  
You wont feel so alone

- - - -

"_The darkest hour is just before the dawn."_

_- - - -_

Dawn- It was strangely bright, and the slumbering teen wished so much to ignore the vibrant calling of the sun's radiance. She was too golden, and joyful in the sky, too happy to shine and wake foolish humans from their beds each morning when most deserved to be captured by the harshness of the night, and eaten one bite at a time.

This particular mortal, beaten and stamped so far into the cool dirt of the ground below by his life, wished for nothing more than to be covered in the soft darkness, to sleep and sleep forever. Still, his tired eyes slowly opened, peering up into the moderate height of the ceilings, the chiseled tunnels in the stony cliffs that formed circular oculi above, glassed, and letting in rounded pillars of light**.** They drew him easily from his slumber, when he had previously assumed he would never awaken, housed in the darkness of these cave-like homes, so much like a tomb. But no, here he stared into the beaming light, letting it's gentle caress draw him into a state of waking, though he soon turned his head, his cheek resting against the soft blue of his pillow.

He stared into a wall that was empty save for the bookshelf- It must have been a vital addition to any home Itachi had stayed in, his mind needing the constant stimulation. Sasuke wanted to close his eyes, and stop thinking about it, every thought of his brother bringing pain like salt upon an open wound. But this time he simply could not, his own mental state riddled by the most simple disturbances. Itachi was not that woman's lover, so.. Did that suggest that they slept in separate rooms? If so, then would this have been the elder Uchiha's room, and this his bookshelf? It was not entirely plausible, though it was somewhat feasible.

The only thing that stood in the way of this theory was that the shelf was filled with children's books, certainly for the young children to indulge in, and not Itachi himself. Each colorful book lined the shelf, perfectly sized identical to it's neighbor and fit snugly, but not too tightly. The only one that stood out was a single book turned on it's back, rather than being turned properly. Sasuke assumed the kid, Akemi, probably did it when putting a book back, not really sparing a care for tidiness, as most kids didn't. For some reason, that one misplaced object bothered the Uchiha teen, and sluggishly he drew himself up from bed to close the short distance between himself and the shelf.

A thin, white hand reached out, fingertips lightly tracing the edges of the book before it was flipped up correctly, and once it was up so that the title on the spine could be read, Sasuke's dark eyes instinctively looked upon it, just to see what it was that had been poorly returned to it's home.

Intrigue flooded his system, causing him to tilt his head just the slightest degree, and those smoldering, charcoal doe eyes read the title over and over again, just so he could be sure. The book that had been out of place was not a book specifically for children, though it was believable to think that Akemi, being Itachi's son, would read such a book. Sasuke preferred to let the embers lighting a fire of curiosity in his heart be let go, and to spread beyond his control, rather than covering them in black soot, and smothering them forever. Thinking of Itachi pained him, but it was also the only thing he even -wanted- to think of, and otherwise his mind was as hollow as his heart.

This item was a book of mythology, but not geared toward kids. It was, instead, a serious study of all the characters, and their origins, their relations, and their meanings- It was a mass of information for knowledge and cultural understanding; It was the kind of book an adult would read, the kind Itachi would read. Because of this, Sasuke opted to remove it from the shelf, and flip through it momentarily, his fingers turning the pages as his pools quickly scanned over them. He was being left to question this. Why would Itachi have only one book on an entire shelf of kid's fairytales? Why was it turned onto it's back, why-..

Sasuke paused in his contemplation, his eyes captured by what was not a page in the book, but paper tucked inside the pages, not belonging. It was frail, and thin, and yellowed as if antique, and Sasuke allowed himself to set the book upon the cool floor, his own body being lowered to his knees as he unfolded the thing delicately, his heart racing for some reason, his expectations extremely high, his hopes soaring far above his head. The paper turned out to be yet another map of the region, similar to his own, and as he gazed upon it, he wasn't sure what he had thought it would be. This one was less heavily marked, the land forms not shown in their completion as Sasuke had so busily gathered on his own map. The only particular mark on the paper was a small circle drawn in the region of the Glass Desert, the rounded form not enclosing anything in particular, just sitting quaint and innocently in the space provided.

What could that circle possibly represent out in the middle of the desert? Sasuke pondered it, reflecting on everything, just trying to draw his own lines toward conclusions, but something was amiss, and he thought, perhaps.. It was meant to be that way. But as this map had been pulled from Itachi's book, and was very possibly Itachi's own map.. It left Sasuke to question the meaning of it. Was there something more Itachi had meant for Sasuke to see? Had he laid a trail extending miles beyond his own death, or was Sasuke merely clinging to blind hopes? He hadn't a clue.

The teen set the map aside, his eyes flickering down to the page of the book, the bold words printed across the top, just above a picture of a pale-faced maiden, wrapped in red and gold robes, shimmering vibrant, and beautiful.

'Amaterasu and Susano'o'

The teen's thoughts were captured by this chapter, the characters having clearly been some of Itachi's more favored ones, especially Amaterasu. Dark optics skimmed over the pages, taking in the tale a few sentences at a time, but with every line Sasuke read, his hunch that this book was of some special importance dimmed out. This story was familiar to him, and the reminiscence lurking in his mind was very clear. Itachi himself had never spoken of these stories, he had never shown Sasuke his interest in them when they were kids, and he had never taken the time to read such tales to the boy. These myths were not familiar because Itachi had ever mentioned them, but rather, it was because of Akemi; Sasuke realized that as he read over a specific line toward the center of the story.

"..And so, because of her brother's actions, Amaterasu locked herself inside a cave, casting the world over in darkness."

It was the exact same story the boy Akemi was telling to his sleeping sibling, Haru. Akemi was certainly old enough to be able to read, and he was the spawn of Itachi- That child was likely advanced for his age, and with particular interests in more serious, deep-driven stories. Sasuke could easily come to the conclusion that Akemi had been the one to disturb the one book, leaving it turned for easy location, and keeping the page marked with just a random piece of paper. It had even been on a lower shelf, clearly, so the little male could reach it.

Sasuke sighed, doubting his own sanity, thinking it was quickly slipping through his fingers without a clear trail to remain on, a trail leading after Itachi, Itachi who Sasuke chased, and chased, until he ran his sibling to death. He would not be able to go on very long like this, and he knew that, but for reasons he was unaware of.. He continued, for now.

He shut the book without returning the map, despite himself. After returning the book to it's proper place, leaving it sitting upright, he took the thin paper over to the table where he had left the note book, his own map, and Itachi's book he had carried along. The new map was laid upon the table, but the teen's fingertips wandered over to lay against the notebook, and the informative book on stars and planets and moons. His head was turned slightly, his face toward the bookshelf once again, noting the two empty spaces. He lifted the two objects from the table into his hands, and he padded over to the shelf, sliding first the reading book into one of the two empty slots. It fit perfectly, but as for the notebook when Sasuke tried it, it was too thin, leaving awkward spaces where it sat. Because of this, Sasuke brought the notebook back to the table, laying it down.

Now, because he could not think of any reason against this, he laid his map of the area overtop of the other he had just found, and he precisely traced the unexplained circle from the near-blank map onto his own. True, there was absolutely no purpose in doing this, but there also was no reason not to. That circle had to represent -something- and even if Sasuke never knew what, he wanted to remember that _something_ was out there.

A sound rang out in the tiny room, a tapping, just barely there. It was the sound of knuckles delicately rapping against the door, and Sasuke turned in that direction as the door was pushed open just enough for the woman to stand in view. Her eyes were angled down to stare at the bundle in her hands; Itachi's cloak, and Sasuke's clothes he had taken off before his bath last night. She offered the clothes to the young teen, doe eyes slowly straying upward as her voice softly spoke up from behind pretty, pink lips. "I washed these for you, Sasuke-kun."

The young Uchiha padded over to the woman, taking the clothes from her hands, and thanking her softly. His thanks was followed by further offerings from her, in a gentle, hospitable tone. "I made breakfast.. You may join us if you like.. There is enough for all of us."

"Nn, hai," Sasuke agreed humbly, nodding his head one time as he watched the woman nod back, stepping from the room, and closing the door behind herself. The young Uchiha turned to put the cloak away, tucking it safely inside the closet with the small bag that still held the coins and the kunai. He next untied the sash at his waist, shrugging the white sleep robe he had been wearing from his pale body, and he put his own clothes back on, not wanting to meander about the house in pajamas, looking as if he did not wish to pull himself from bed. He folded the robe, and left it lying neatly on his bed before he sauntered to the door, and walked out, shutting it to keep the room he was using private.

Doing just as he assured the woman he would, he came back to the dining area he had been introduced to the day before, finding a plate set out at the same place he sat yesterday. This food, which was clearly put here for him, welcomed him, and he quietly took his seat, catching a stare from the little boy Akemi. Upon noticing, Sasuke looked up at him, and the young male averted his eyes back to his own breakfast. The woman smiled softly to herself as her baby, his little head already covered in thick, black hair, rested in one of her arms.

The food that was offered, similar to what was given to him the day before, consisted of rice, and fruit- He could assume it was the staple of these desert people's diet, though he wondered if the Crow Clan lived vegetarian lifestyles. It appeared that they had a great respect for the menagerie they shared their home with, so it was very likely. With slow grace, Sasuke took his first bite from the bowl just in front of him, it being a dish of some type of sweet rice porridge, the grains extremely tender, and sticky, meshed with a subtly sweet white cream, which was probably at least half dairy-based, and half derived from the milk of some desert fruit. It was delectable, to say the least, and it made him think on the subject of his sibling, yet again; If these desert people lived off of foods sweetened by various means, Itachi really would favor this diet. He had probably been so happy and content here.

The young Uchiha sighed lowly, his eyes looking at the small plate near his bowl as he continued to eat. He had also been given a serving of two different pale-yellow fruit slices, both with mellow tastes, and tender flesh; It appeared to be mango and banana. His attention diverted from his rice to try the fruits, and they tasted satisfying, as he could have expected.

He also had been given a cup of warm tea, and this very morning he could easily identify the flavor by the fragrance; It was the same as Itachi had gotten for him each time they met, the citrus, Sasuke's favorite. He took a quick sip, letting the taste hover on his tongue before he continued with his slow, small bites of the sweet rice.

As he ate, his mind wandered about ceaselessly, unable to stop pondering Itachi. Sasuke wondered if his troubled consciousness would ever be free from his fallen sibling, or if he even wanted to- He thought he was perfectly content to linger with his sorrows for the rest of his life, chasing blind hopes, just as he always had. But as he thought on things, his discoveries from this morning, he couldn't help but want to pry at it, trying desperately to form trails that surely could only ever be imaginary.

"Akemi.." Sasuke spoke up, his dark eyes raising to look at the boy, his face masked as impassive when really he was insanely curious. He was granted a return of eye-to-eye contact with the young illusion-of-Itachi, Akemi hearing Sasuke's soft call, and giving him attention, though the boy was somehow wary of the teen, unsure. Sasuke took the attention gratefully, however, needing nothing more than that as he posed a quick question to the new heir of what would be Uchiha.

"That story that you were telling to Haru last night.. I heard you telling it.. What is it?"

For a tense, and quiet second, Akemi stared, slowly looking back down at his own bowl, seemingly unwilling to even speak to Sasuke, though eventually his little voice was uttered, breaking the silence, while he kept his eyes trained on his food in what Sasuke could not tell was either shyness or plain dislike. "It was a story my Otousan used to tell me every night.. I was telling it to Haru because he had never heard it, and Otousan won't be here to tell him."

There was a passing second of silence, and Akemi started eating again, not once looking up, not wanting to. Sasuke himself looked over at the woman, and she was watching her young son, very concerned for the boy. The teenage Uchiha didn't know if he was pressing painful buttons unnecessarily, and to let things settle, he started nibbling at his breakfast again, though his curiosity had not yet been completely satiated. He wasn't sure if he was to form any kind of relationship with the mini-Itachi boy, or how long he would even be here, but something inside told him that he could not reach the child without trying. The only real problem was that he wasn't at all trying to take Itachi's space, he was serving his own needs, just hoping Akemi could accept him long enough for the teen to accomplish that. Sasuke took a bite of the fruit just to the side of his bowl, chewing and swallowing, and then he spoke up again, his voice quiet, and careful.

"What was the story about? Can you tell me?"

Akemi did not immediately acknowledge Sasuke's question, preferring to finish chewing his food, taking his time, rebelling just slightly, but under the pretense of manners. It was a contradiction, a paradox, but it worked; This boy was most certainly Itachi's. Once he was finished, he raised his head, his sharp, reflective, but dark optics flickering up to stare at the teenage Uchiha, quietly observing Sasuke as a whole person, as his Ojisan, brother to his Otousan, uncertain what his purpose here was, or why he was asking these questions. Regardless of the conclusion in the young child's head, he spoke up when he finished his pondering, his voice bell-like and smoothly unwavering. "It is the story of how Amaterasu was so upset by her brother Susano'o, when he persistently was cruel toward her, that she locked herself inside a cave, taking her light with her."

A nod was given in response to the boy's explanation, Sasuke softly speaking the words, "..I see." The teen was sure he understood the young boy's thoughts now- He must have related everything to the story Itachi used to tell him. He believed that Itachi was gone because his brother had been cruel to him, and really.. That wasn't so far from the truth. Actually, it was very near close to the plain and simple way of things.

The small group each finished their breakfast in silence from there on, but for some reason Sasuke just couldn't leave the little boy's words alone. That story; Itachi had -told- it to Akemi _every night_. It just seemed that Akemi should have memorized it if it was told to him every night, rather than having to read it out of a book. Yes, that was true- The boy told it to Haru just last night with no book in hand at all. He knew it. It was permanently printed in his mind, that story so close to the truth. In the meantime, the book sat turned wrongly on the shelf, begging for attention, a map of the area with a circle printed upon it marking the page that began that story.

_That story so close to the truth._

As Akemi wandered off, and the woman laid her baby down to finish his nap, Sasuke remained at the table until the woman came back. He watched her start to clean up the dishes, and he rose to his feet to aid her, speaking up softly. "I wanted to ask.. Since I don't think you ever said- What is your name?"

The delicate female paused, blinking as if she was thinking in a most involved manner, and then her lips parted as she looked up at Sasuke, taking the dishes he had collected from his hands. "My name is Kaiko."

She was given a nod from Sasuke, acknowledging her identity, though most clearly her name was not all Sasuke had intended to ask. He was just collecting the information as he had further things to converse on. When she carried the collected dishes into the kitchen to be placed in a wash basin, the young Uchiha followed her, keeping a subtle space between them though he let it be known that he was tracing her steps. When she stopped in one place to wash up the dishes, Sasuke's low voice poured out, still very calm and neutral. "I'm leaving."

An immediate reaction upon the young Uchiha's word, Kaiko turned to face him, looking at him questioningly, wishing to know what had caused his urge to depart so quickly. It was funny how worried she seemed- Perhaps she regarded Sasuke as a little brother, just in the same manner Itachi did. That would have been unexplainably compassionate, and Sasuke did not understand it, but to answer the woman's curiosity, he elaborated on his claim. "There is something I want to check out.. I'll probably come back tomorrow, or maybe the next day. The location I'm going to head toward is out in the Glass Desert."

"The Glass Desert?" Her expression shifted to a keen misunderstanding. It was obvious that she did not know why anybody would want to travel out into the Glass Desert. Everybody knew there was absolutely nothing out there; No towns, no hidden group of native people, no water, no food, nothing! It was the most barren place in all the world, and the only thing to find beyond the desert was ocean. This was a trip which would bear no salvation. Still, the woman did not know what Sasuke had planned or what he was trekking out into the desert for, and it was not her place to pry. She sighed to herself. "Is there anything I can give you, to help you?"

Hating to ask for anything, Sasuke glanced off to the side, though he knew better than to think he would survive if he wandered off without any supplies, so he spoke up hesitantly. "Food that will last through the trip. And water."

The frail, young woman nodded to him, but she paused after his request, thinking. A soft smile came over her face and her dark eyes trailed back up to connect with the teen's. Sasuke didn't really know what she suddenly seemed to have on her mind, or what could have been so clever to provoke her smile now of all times, but he did not ask questions, nor did he even have to, as her soft voice spoke up again. "I know what I can give you to help you. Go ahead and get everything you plan to take, and I'll grab some supplies for you."

With a nod Sasuke just accepted- He still didn't know what she would offer, but it was alright. If it made his journey easier, and he felt alright taking the kindness offered to him, it would be fine. He headed back toward the small room he had been given, fetching his pack, which still held the kunai, from the closet, and he tucked his map inside Itachi's notebook so it wouldn't get wrinkled, packing that as well. Other than his food and water, that was really all he needed, and he grabbed the cloak from the closet, wrapping his body in the protective fabric, and buttoning it.

He slung one strap over his shoulder, and walked with quick steps down the hall, and into the den area. He didn't see Kaiko, so he meandered through the dining room, and he stuck his head into the kitchen. He knew she hadn't come down the hall, so he thought to look outside lastly. He opened the door, walking out in the bright, desert sun, just to see Kaiko standing just in front of the house with a large, sleek animal in her grasp.

Sasuke gaped at the creature; It was a horse, not giant, but not at all tiny. He had a broad forehead, and a narrow snout, his face masked white while his mane hung down in a chocolate brown coloration between brown ears. He had glaring blue eyes, and a proud posture, his neck curved, his bones chiseled, and his tail held high and strong. His legs were long, his musculature firm, and lean, and he looked as if he had the strength of three thousand men. His body was mostly brown, though a white patch crawled down the side of his neck, jaggedly covered by his long, beaded, and feather-adorned mane. Then, right on the side of his rump was painted the Uchiha crest.

Kaiko was busily loading a few packs onto the horses back, leaving a space just behind his level shoulders for Sasuke to ride, he assumed. It was there that she placed a couple of colorfully decorated pads, like blankets, for the teen to comfortably sit while he was riding. After doing this, she turned her head to notice Sasuke standing behind her, and she faced him with a sheepish grin on her pretty face. A frail hand patted the stallion on his gracefully curved neck, and she spoke up quickly, to explain. "Sasuke- This is Michio-chan. I thought you could ride him, making your trip easier, as long as you can be back by the day-after-tomorrow. He is fit for travel through the desert without water, but that is as long as he can go, and since he is dear to me, I hope you will indeed bring him back. I packed food and water for you, and food for him, so.. You should be fine."

She pulled a heavy scarf from one of the packs strapped to the horse, and walked over near to Sasuke, her voice again coming out suddenly, as it seemed she had forgotten something. "Oh- Michio can get grumpy at times, and he doesn't usually let anybody ride him except for me, but the secret to calming him if he gets mad is sharingan. I know you won't have any problem."

Her eyes looked off for a moment before she took the scarf in her hands, and started to wrap it about the teen's head and face, comfortably loose, but tight enough to stay on while he was riding in the desert. "This will keep the sun from burning your face.. I thought you would need it also.."

The young Uchiha felt almost overwhelmed by this woman's kindness, unsure how she managed to be so warm, knowing surely Sasuke caused Itachi's death. No, he did know; It was part of her Crow Clan culture, which, even though they seemed like uncivilized people living out in the desert, they really were the most civil people in all the world. Quietly, almost embarrassedly, Sasuke thanked Kaiko. The woman simply smiled to him, and gave him a friendly 'You're welcome, little brother.'

No more was said between them, and Sasuke climbed up onto the enduring creature's back, taking the reins attached to the head collar in his hands, and he gave Michio's side a gentle tap with his heel, and he set off on his new journey out into the Glass Desert.

- - - -

Not having to walk through the burning heat was indeed a wonderful indulgence, though just as rumored, it was still blistering hot, even just sitting. The young Uchiha's bangs stuck to his forehead beneath the heavy scarf, and it was hard to breath the hot, dry air, let alone keep an eye on where he was headed with the wind whipping against his eyes as Michio galloped at full speed.

Michio, also as rumored, was truly the most tireless creature under the sun. He ran, breaking into full gallops in bursts, but never slowed from his quick pace until Sasuke could ascertain that they had almost made it to their destination. Once he did slow, he maintained a vibrant trot, his course fur beading with sweat as he huffed, and snorted, shaking his mane proudly. The teen smiled softly to himself beneath his protective scarf, and gave the stallion a gracious pat, most assuredly feeding the strong horse's undoubtably present ego. He must have known he was the best horse for desert riding, somehow, or else he had a hot-blooded, and almost arrogantly powerful demeanor bred into him.

Keeping on path with the sun as a directional device, Sasuke held off on stopping until his feel for the distance began to kick in. By this time it was near-dusk, the sky shades of orange and pink on the horizon just above the blood-red of the rocky desert. Sasuke was certain that they were near to their destination, yet there was only one disturbance in the distance, and it seemed like nothing more than two large boulders. It was only when the teen Uchiha rode closer to the formation that he found something of interest.

He climbed off of Michio after approaching what had to be the circled landmark; There was cave, a small eruption of blood red stone from the ground, with an opening, which led down into the depths of the formation. It was obviously of some importance, because just outside waited a small, man-made well; Sasuke was left to assume that the well dipped into the underground flow of the Sweet River, because he walked over, leading his horse behind him, and he gave the rope a tug, hearing the bucket below splash in an immense amount of water.

Sasuke drew out the bucket from the well, and sat it on the ground for the horse, the desert-dwelling stallion happily gulping the pure, clear water down. As the strong creature refreshed himself, Sasuke untied the packs from his back, almost sure he heard the horse sigh in relief as the weight was taken off. The young Uchiha first opened up the pack which contained nothing more than food for the horse, and he left it laying open, knowing Michio would turn his attention to it when he was done drinking.

Aware that he could not venture into a cave at night, Sasuke sauntered over to a random tree near to the site. It was a dried up old relic that was quite dead, and the boy hadn't a clue how the thing had even managed to grow as tall as it was out in this harsh environment. Regardless, he gathered a mass of the scattered branches, bringing them back over near the well where Michio was waiting, and using a low-powered fireball technique, Sasuke ignited the dried wood easily, creating a fire that would warm him as the desert night-chill set in. He pulled the colorful blankets from his horse's back, laying them down somewhat close to the flame, next dragging over his packs of supplies.

The kind Crow Clan woman had packed him fresh water, rice balls, and bags of dried fruits, nuts and seeds. Sasuke's dehydrated body sought water first, and foremost, and he pulled the scarf from his face before he started to drink, gulping from the water-pack without hardly taking a breath. After many deep gulps, he parted from the pack, practically panting for air. He had drank so quickly that his stomach felt full from the liquid. Sasuke still nibbled on the rice balls, and fruit and nut mixture, letting it all settle easily in his stomach, weighing him down for sleep, which he welcomed as Michio settled near him, loyally.

- - - -

Sasuke had no choice but to wake, bright, and very early- The sun roused the young male as she peeked over the horizon, looking more grand, and strongly shimmering than ever before. The sight was astounding, seeing the glorious being slowly make her way up from the edges of the young Uchiha's perceivable world. It was hard to imagine how big the sun really was until one saw her like this, journeying into open, cloudless sky, looking as if she was near enough to incinerate the boy, should he dare to disrespect her.

Of course, the teen had nothing but respect for the beautifully mighty Amaterasu. He just wished now, more than ever, that Itachi could be here. This was one thing the heir would adore like nothing else in the world, save for Sasuke himself. Watching the sun in the morning was a habitual act beginning each day for the elder male, and Sasuke wanted to believe that Itachi was still doing so in the afterlife, peering down to stare at the same sun now, this very moment. In this way, the brother's were still connected, and Sasuke would almost admit.. he thought he could feel Itachi watching alongside him, his sibling's presence pulsing within him with each beat of his living heart.

The boy did not stick around watching for very long, though, because he was terribly eager to at last find the reason he had come all the way out into this terrible wasteland. Michio was hanging around next to his open food pack, getting a bite of breakfast to give him strength for the day to come, and Sasuke dipped the bucket back down into the well, drawing it out filled with water for the stallion to drink. The young Uchiha knew the horse was too loyal to humans to run off, so he left the creature outside, while he headed toward the cave.

The mouth of the cave had been here haunting him all night, a great, dark, gaping hole which held something, some clue which had to have been left behind by the elder Uchiha. The teen could explain this in no other way. Why else would there even be anything here? The book, the map, and the circle were not coincidence, because -nothing- was coincidence when Itachi was concerned. Sasuke had learned this. Everything happened, and was laid forth for a reason, and he would find that reason, even if it killed him.

Hanging from the blood red opening was a tiny bell, which dinged in welcoming as Sasuke grew near. His eyes flashed over, having not noticed it before, but there it was- Hanging from a red ribbon was a small, metallic bell, near blackened from days in the sun, with a thin luck amulet hanging down below to capture the wind, and ring the small musical device. As the boy grew closer, he noticed the amulet was faded also, and any words that might have been inscribed were missing.

He hoped it still brought him luck. With the greatest faith in what he would find, he took his first step into the dark pit. It was a cave like any other. The floors were littered with dust and rocks, and jagged structures hung down from the ceilings. The teen's movements echoed in the space, but not because it was large, and overpowering. As he took a few steps in, he began to realize that it was indeed a very short cave, and he could almost make out the ending. The wall to the back of the cave was shallow enough to still be reached by the light of the sun, especially as the golden beacon sat just on the horizon in the East, beaming down into the hole in the land. It was greatly helpful, and Sasuke pondered that; Maybe this cave was meant to be explored in the morning. It was Itachi's favorite time of day, after all.

With confident movements, Sasuke strode toward the end, his eyes having adjusted to the slightly lesser light, even without sharingan. He could see the cracks and crevasses well now. And one thing he could make out most of all was some sort of box sitting right at the end of the cave, stashed down here, the perfect hiding place tucked in the middle of a horrific desert. The teen almost smiled to himself, moving carefully, but eagerly forward, closing the now small gap between him and whatever his reward for coming to this wasteland was.

He at last reached the box, and he crouched down next to it- It was withered, wooden, and very old-looking. It was similar to what one envisioned a treasure chest looking like, and for that reason, the teen Uchiha was that much more certain he would find treasure within. The old thing was not even locked. Sasuke reached a thin hand out, turning the latch, and he flipped the top open, peering inside.

And what treasure did he find waiting inside, filling that box to the brim? What was his spoils for his journey? What had his sibling surely left behind so carefully?

Nothing, it seemed. Sasuke leaned in slowly nearer, not seeing anything inside but pure emptiness, as empty as his wretched heart. With disbelieving disappointment, the young male leaned over the box at last, wishing hard to find something, and as his eyes stared, he thought he could just barely make out a small and practically insignificant object below; It was still, at least, something. Sasuke's hands dove in to clasp the object, and so typically that he should have expected this, he withdrew from the chest, a book.

The object could not be examined in the darkness of the cave, and as Sasuke was very eager and extremely hopeful concerning the item, he stood, turning on heel and dashing toward the light at the end of the short tunnel. He came surging from the blood red darkness into the blinding light outside, and he did so in such a speedy manner that Michio was near spooked by Sasuke's sudden appearance. The horse turned his masked white face in a jolt toward Sasuke, glaring with those ghostly blue eyes, and he huffed at the teen, stamping his hoof, and shaking his mane.

Sasuke had to shield his eyes for a moment as they readjusted, his pupils shrinking in the depths of his optics to take in less light, and make things visible once more. The only real cruelty in giving the boy back his vision was that after regaining it, he wished he could just remain blind. He had looked down to see that the book in his hand was nothing more than another children's book, a damned worthless bedtime story book! He had come all the way out into the burning desert for a useless little book!

Exasperated, and desperate for this to have some sort of meaning, Sasuke searched the pages hurriedly, wishing to find any mark, anything to give him another clue to what everything meant, but in the end.. He found nothing. He wondered, perhaps he was missing something? That had to be it, because why in the world would a simple children's book be lost out in the desert, trapped in a box in a cave in the middle of nowhere?

No matter how hard or long he thought about it, nothing came to him, and all that was left was to accept defeat and crawl back into his depressed hole to feel sorry for himself; He still packed the book into the bag with his sibling's notebook, and the kunai, and he ate a slight amount of food, and drank for the journey home before he packed the slightly lighter bags onto the enduring horse's back again. Michio seemed just as eager to get home as Sasuke was, but the only real trouble with that was..

Michio did have a true home. Sasuke did not.

Nevertheless, Sasuke fixed his scarf around his head, threw the soft padding over the horses back, and took him by the reins, tapping his side and heading back through the desert, back to where he had come here from.

..back to another dead end, as always.

- - - -

Disappointment was a troublesome riding partner, and even as the white and brown creature probably bolted through the rocky desert even faster the second time around, it was a journey that seemed never ending. Before, Sasuke had ridden out into the desert with hope at his heels, and now all he was left with was the emptiness of being all alone in the world. Kaiko and her family were fine, they were, but.. They could never fill the empty space in the boy's heart.. The space where Itachi belonged.

It was ever more apparent to Sasuke how foolish he was, and if Itachi could see him now, he was probably saddened to observe his hopeless little brother, still needlessly chasing after him, though Itachi was nothing more than a ghost on the horizon now. Sasuke lived a life of chasing, and now he could not stop, even though there was nothing for him to chase after. His heart ached in the pointless existence that he stubbornly continued; His own life was of little worth to anybody now, and without Itachi, he had no purpose to even keep breathing.

Upon making it back to the oasis, Sasuke took all the luggage from Michio's back. He removed the blankets, and the head collar, letting the animal run free to gallivant happily with all the other pets of the Crow Clan. Everything was dragged into the house that Sasuke had returned to, and as he was unsure what to do with it, he thought first to seek out Kaiko, just to let her know he had come back. He wandered into the dining room, peering around the corner into the kitchen, but the house was quiet, and these rooms seemed very empty. He did notice a few flecks of color splashed against the table top in the dining room, however, and he let his eyes focus on what seemed to be a plate with a small snack resting on the surface. A few footsteps brought him closer to the plate that had been left out, and there he found himself looking down at a skewer bearing three rounded dumplings colored green, white and pink; dango.

Directly next to the plate was a tiny note written in small, scratchy lettering- Clearly the person who had written this message was not the type to write many notes. Sasuke could still read it quite easily, though, and he trained his focus on it.

'To Sasuke: If you come back, I left this out for you. I don't know if you like dango as much as your brother, but I left you some anyway. I needed to travel into Suna for some supplies, and I took Akemi and Haru with me, but we should be back in a week or so. Everything you would need will be there in the house. Please make yourself at home.'

Reading over the words at least twice, Sasuke came to a strange conclusion; Even though he hardly knew these people who called themselves his family, the thought of being alone here without them was even more troubling than living alongside strangers. Right now he simply did not wish to be alone, and his heart was finding itself clenched much too tight in the confines of his chest. The teen didn't really know what to do now- Sit here in the dark and wait for somebody to show back up in a week?

He laid down the note on the table next to the dango, and he trudged back toward his room with his one small bag in tow- This bag now contained Itachi's notebook, the map, the kunai, which was an ever-present threat and comfort to the young Uchiha, and the book which was the only treasure Sasuke had come upon during his trip. He was still utterly disappointed, and as he meandered down the hall, and through the swinging bedroom door, his slow sluggish steps telling of his defeated persona, he still couldn't help but look over his shoulder, a slight prickle passing down his back, interrupting his morose state of mind. He was expecting to see some sort of shadow phantom, hear a noise like pattered footsteps of a child running away, laughing at him, and though none of that was present, the door squeaked in the slightest movement as he left it cracked, and it opened up just a bit more beyond his control.

He just ignored it, shaking his head to himself, not wanting to fall prey to ghost stories while he was all alone. He settled his mind by unloading his few trinkets, and placing them back in the same places they had been before he left. His sibling's notebook was left out on the table, the bag was tucked in the closet with the kunai contained, and the new book was allowed to fill that one single empty space on the bookshelf which the notebook hadn't fit quite properly.

Sasuke was almost dazed, the emptiness of his mind and heart taking over him as he just stood staring at the filled shelf, those colorful books lining the shelves so happily, so gleefully, their pages dappled with fairytales and happy endings, while his life had amounted to a twisted path, a hellish fall into darkness. He slowly lowered into a crouch, his arms being wrapped around his folded legs, and his frame trembled, his head light, and spinning, his chest heavy and pressured, feeling as if it would explode or maybe implode, and the pain was too much, far too much. His eyes remained on the shelves, however, staring, not blinking, just gazing empty, and with hardly any sight or thought registering to back them.

But then Sasuke's hand slowly stretched out before him, fingertips landing on the spine of one specific book on the bottom shelf, one that unconsciously caught his eyes through his mind's apparent shut-down, and he read over the gold lettering of the title on the purplish cover- It was the same. It was the same book that he had found in the cave out so far in the desert, and he glanced back up to look at that very book, which he had just given a home. Yes, those two books were identical except for this one had been here the entire time.

The book was pulled from it's position on the shelf, and Sasuke opened the front cover, a delicate, silvery piece of paper immediately sliding out to land against his fingers. His heart skipped a beat as he stared down at the folded sheet of paper, that little piece of paper which had been here all along, hidden. His breath had been captured in the back of his throat, and his eyes felt glassy as his shaking only intensified. He at last gulped a breath down, laying the book on the floor as he practically tore the folds out of the paper, opening it up so he could read the pretty handwriting within.

'Dear Sasuke, if you managed to come this far, either you were just very curious, or I was right after all. You would continue to chase me, even beyond death, if need be. But there is only so much left to chase when somebody is gone, and I'm sure you know that very well. This was the failsafe I thought out just for you, in the case that you came to the conclusion later that you simply could not live a completed life without me. Let's play a new game, Sasuke, you and I..'

The teen could hardly believe his eyes as he read over the note, his lips softly forming the words as he took them in, but even forcing those syllables to materialize did not piece this together, this note that was so much like a distant fantasy, these words, written by only one person, Itachi.

His heart furiously beat in his chest as the note slipped from his grasp, the paper fluttering in a flimsy manner until landing with the softest noise against the open book upon the floor. The shivers that raced up Sasuke's spine, the feeling like he was constantly being tailed by ghosts from his past- it was the tremors that Itachi could only cause him. The instincts within that told him Itachi was near.

In a flash of movement, Sasuke was on his feet again, the bedroom door being shoved open with a loud thump against the stone wall. The teen stuck his head into the hall, his sharingan flickering to life in his overly emotional and excited state of being, and with a rise in his perception, he looked back and forth, back and forth, expecting somebody to be there, though he found nobody. There was nothing surrounding him but empty hall, silence, but his soul was extending out, pulling him from his place where he stood with his feet planted nervously. He could feel it, stretching out from his chest, and bewitched, he followed that feeling, the air hauntingly surrounding him in a subtle scent like lavender and sweet plums, like clover fields in bloom from fresh rain, all drowning out an unremovable, distant scent of fire and of blood. He wished so much to clasp this scent in his hand, and pull it like a rope, however, he settled for following it, his feet slowly taking him down the hallway with steady patters of soft movement. His eyelids felt almost heavy as a dreamlike trance overtook him, but his heart was still thumping, pounding hard and unignorably against his rib cage, and his head was spinning.

He padded into the den, through it, still seeing nobody. He sauntered all the way into the dining room, blind to everything and anything aside from the one thing he was looking for, that person he sensed, that person he -knew- was here, just beyond his reach, somehow. He came to his stop as the low table tapped against his knees; He felt he had not even known it was there, he had not known where he was going or where he would stop, but miraculously he halted just at the edge of the table, eyes shifting down to look at the surface as he still had not detected a sign of human life.

Crimson optics stared, practically unseeing, nothing registering in Sasuke's mind as his pools were set upon the note that had been left for him from Kaiko, and the plate of dango. The plate; The plate which was now.. Empty.

Empty.. It was empty, the treat was gone. The teen slowly formed a grasp on this, and once he did, it only took a single instant before he had leaned over the table, wide eyes staring down at the empty plate sitting now where it had rested just beneath a colorful snack before. Just like so long ago, when Sasuke's dango had disappeared, just like when he had ran into Itachi in the tea house, and his snack was stolen from just over his shoulder; This was reminiscent, it had meaning, and that was something too completely clear. His fingerpads traced over the empty space on the plate, and with firm resolute, and hopes high enough to kill him should they shatter, he spun on his heel, facing the space which had felt so empty at his back, and yet.. There was a tingle brushing just along the back of his neck.

And there, just a few feet beyond the very space he was standing, stood his brother. Itachi; He was calm, perfectly upright and graceful in his stance, his eyes watching, his face blank, and resting just between his lips was the bamboo skewer, cleaned of any little morsel. He was dressed in loose-fitting pants that came down just below his knee, colored a dull navy, a tan tunic which dipped just beneath his hips, covering him, and then a navy scarf was wound around his neck, having surely been used to shield his face and neck for his own journey to this place.

Sasuke was breathless, stock still, tied down where he stood. Every muscle in his body had frozen as he stared disbelievingly, his heart still threatening to burst inside him as his lightheadedness caused a steady ring to start up in his ears. That ring grew incredibly loud as he watched Itachi, who was just standing there, watching him. It was only silenced when the older Uchiha moved, his footstep signaling soundlessness, as quiet as they were in themselves. It was a soft patter, just barely there, similar to the little pawpads of a mouse scampering in the dead of night, a subtle tap..tap..tap, and Itachi approached, his body loose and graceful, moving like a bird in flight, or some marine creature beneath the depths of the ocean, like the water or wind itself, beautifully.

He stood just before his brother, though those pretty rubies averted from Sasuke, looking down at the plate on the table, and lifting fingers to clasp the bamboo skewer, it was pulled from between his lips to be laid down. While the elder's attention drifted with such ease, Sasuke's own thin hand lifted of it's own accord, coming up to cup his sibling's cheek, to touch the person who he had been so sure was gone forever. And what did he feel beneath his palm? Solid, warm, silken skin, real flesh, real, living human flesh, and he shuddered at just the smallest feel of it. "..I-Itachi.. It's you.. It's really you."

Sasuke's voice was soft, hardly over a whisper, and that was all he could manage as his body shook in anxious shock, in complete and total surprise and emotion- His mental and physical states were at a loss, and from just the presence of Uchiha Itachi. He felt something, a small movement, a push against his hand, and he watched his brother closely, seeing Itachi move into the touch offered, his bangs falling over one eye as his head tilted, and his pretty lips parted.

"Of course it's me, Sasuke." Itachi began gently, his own tone just a bit above Sasuke's surprised one, wishing to treat the situation delicately, as he could see, feel, _sense_ the shock weakening the young male's systems; Sasuke knew he could. The teen gulped, his throat feeling as if it had formed a lump inside, and it was keeping him from even breathing. His chest and stomach fluttered unstoppably, his skin prickled from just Itachi's move into the affection that had been offered, his willingness to accept Sasuke's touch, despite everything. And then, once Itachi's eyes had scanned back up to meet with Sasuke's, he continued to speak gently, hoping to calm his sibling with syllables communicating comfort. "You didn't think I would leave you behind so carelessly, did you?"

The hand upon the elder Uchiha's face fell away, diverting it's focus as did Sasuke's eyes. Those curious fingers now grabbed at the hem of the tunic draped around Itachi, lifting it up to expose the creamy-pale skin of his lean belly, and with sharingan searching, fingers aiding in that hunt by tracing the contours of the older male's skin, Sasuke looked for evidence of what had happened before, what he knew he had -seen- happen before.

_But just as the word tore from his vocal chords, his brother's arm jerked from left to right, cleanly, deeply slicing his belly across, and disemboweling him. Sasuke tensed beneath Itachi, his eyes wide in fear as his brother's body shuddered, and Itachi let out a low groan of pain, his face pressed against Sasuke's neck, buried in the pale, soft skin, and then within moments the older male went slack, one last warm breath escaping his lungs, and collecting against the younger Uchiha's neck._

With shock, and yet relief, Sasuke found not even the smallest scar or injury; He felt nothing, and he saw nothing but sheer perfection beneath Itachi's clothes. He was sighing, letting this truth comfort him when Itachi's fingers traced his jawline, and landed just beneath his chin to shift his focus. The elder sibling coaxed Sasuke to look him in the eye once again, and Sasuke found those wise optics to be holding reassurances where Sasuke's own sharingan held only questions and confusion. "It's alright, Otouto." Itachi began, his voice soft, and brotherly, and lovely. Sasuke found so much comfort in the low, gentle tone, and that delicate hand still rested beneath his chin. "I'm alright. I'm here."

"How?" The younger Uchiha spoke up immediately following his sibling's words- As much as he did not want to question what was turning out to be a miracle, he did want to know how it was that Itachi was here now. "I saw you.. I saw you die.. I watched that man drag you away.."

Removing his fingers from Sasuke's face, Itachi's lashes fluttered against his pale cheeks for a second, and he shook his head, denying what Sasuke was saying, hushing those desperate words while shutting out the horror that came with that night. "No." Itachi spoke up, cutting in to explain. "Though you saw yourself be set free from an illusion, and me killing myself before you passed out.. In actuality, it was all an illusion from beginning to end. I never set you free at all. Everything I showed you was fake up until you passed out.. I had to test you.. To see if you really would be happy with my death. Had I killed myself, then it would have been a foolishly permanent mistake that I could not fix.. I wanted to make sure I could fix it if it was not what you truly desired.. Though you never admitted it, or perhaps.. You didn't know.. I had a feeling that your life wouldn't be complete without an elder sibling to chase after... But if I'm wrong, and you can tell me that you wish me dead, now I can believe you without hesitance, and I will give you what you wish-"

"No!" Sasuke spoke up, his tone at last ascending that of a whisper, and his eyes flashed some desperate emotion beneath the surface- He could not bear even the thought of being without his brother now that he had the elder back. His hands bolted up to grab the material covering Itachi's chest, and he clutched it tightly, a certain sliver of calm coming back to him after his flash of panic. "..No.." He uttered his answer again to reaffirm, his hands sliding up to rest upon his brother's shoulders, and he shook his head. "I don't want that anymore.."

He looked away then, feeling somehow ashamed for the past, his hateful actions. His anger was well deserved, but the persistence in his goal to kill his sibling, it was just too low. Sasuke didn't want to be just another foolish man, another stupid mortal- He wished to be divine in giving Itachi the second chance that he deserved, as the elder's actions, as bloody and horrid as they were, had purpose which were pure. "I know that you've suffered through everything.." Sasuke spoke at last, his voice soft, and with an understanding tone. "These last weeks of my life have felt.. So empty. That must have been how you felt all these years away from me, because.. I cannot doubt your actions were indeed for me, as you told me yourself.. Everything in your demeanor proves that much.. I would be a fool to deny it, and a fool to sentence you to death when.. Even if you did deserve it, more than anything.. You deserve my forgiveness.. And just as I had when I was young.. All I want in life is you... Niisan.. Nnng.."

Sasuke, the spinning returning to his head, began to feel faint again, the heat in the room gripping him, making him too hot, and he could hardly even breath as his heart rushed continuously, still having not slowed even once. His eyes shut, and his knees buckled slightly, though just as he began to topple he was captured by a forgiving embrace. Itachi's arms gently encircled him, keeping him upright, and his head lolled to rest against the older male's chest, though his lashes fluttered, and his lids found a way to remain open.

"Sasuke?" Itachi's voice was still calm, but questioning as he completely lifted his sibling into his arms. "You've been in the desert all day today and the day before, haven't you?"

"Nn.." With another blink, Sasuke came back to his senses, freeing himself from his lapse- He had heard his sibling, but he ignored the question for a moment. His cheek, and ear were rested just against his sibling's chest, and he could hear Itachi's heartbeat, that strong, living heartbeat. "..Hai."

Itachi turned round, his movements so smooth and graceful, it was intriguing to feel them now, resting in his arms in order to do so; Sasuke remembered before how delicate his elder seemed when he had carried Naruto, and the time he had comforted Sasuke when they were on such bad terms. All that gentleness had paid off, especially paired with the fact that Sasuke had been suffering, and confused, much worse than his condition now, though Itachi did not neglect to show his brotherly concern. "The heat must have gotten to you, little brother."

And as much as Sasuke enjoyed the contact and the attention, he really didn't need his brother carrying him around- On top of that, Sasuke wasn't a little kid anymore! He and Itachi were very close to being the same size. He didn't want his brother having to tote about the near equal to his own weight. This was unnecessary. The teen had just had a moment of lightheadedness, that was all. He pressed a hand against his elder's chest, pushing against him, and his body squirmed, wanting to be put down, and he muttered a soft complaint. "Itachi, put me down.."

"Don't worry." With a reassuring, purring baritone, and pinkish lips that parted very little as the older male spoke, Itachi entered the tiny bedroom Sasuke had been lurking within since he had gotten here, and he laid the teen down on the bed. "I was only taking you this far.. You should rest now."

With a shake of his head, his bangs fluttering back and forth across his forehead, and brushing his eyelashes, Sasuke sat up on the bed, reasserting himself as he always had to do with Itachi, no matter what- Why was it that Itachi had acknowledged Sasuke's rise to strength, yet he still treated the teen like he was helpless? "No.. I'm fine." The younger Uchiha's voice was clear and definite as he spoke, though he found his expression melting into that of questioning as his brother slid off one shoe for him. Sasuke quickly jerked his feet away, staring with a mix of indignation, and.. Confusion.

"I can do that myself!" The boy was sure his cheeks must have been stained a pinkish color for reasons other than the hot, dry air, and he finished the duty of taking off his sandals. Honestly, freeing his feet was very relieving, though it was hard to relax as Itachi quietly watched him, gracefully moving to sit more toward the end of the bed. With a sigh, Sasuke said something again, needing to break the silence; It was terribly awkward now that he couldn't lean on his hatred for his brother, because it was gone. "I just needed to sit down is all..um.."

Sasuke bit his lip, looking up at his brother, at that blank stare, that pretty face, and quickly Sasuke looked away again, clearly feeling nervous, despite how overwhelmingly happy he was to have his brother back. "You must have been traveling too, so.. I'm sure you're just as tired.." He paused to pat the space next to him. "You can rest here to."

The younger Uchiha chanced a glance up at his brother, noting an almost intrigued quirk of the elder's brow, but Itachi still took up the offer, removing his own shoes as he crawled into the inside space on the mattress between Sasuke and the wall. This was when Itachi let the first resentful string of words slide out of his mouth, his tongue softly curving to form the slow, quiet syllables. "Then this means you finally trust me enough to lay near you?"

"Itachi-" The teen's face wrinkled sorrowfully as he snapped his head over to look at his brother. Itachi was looking straight ahead, his onyx bangs caressing his cream colored cheeks. He turned to look back at the boy, seeming confused, and almost innocent in his expression, his eyes blank. He gave his head a soft shake, those lashes laying against his cheeks, and he spoke again not to explain his meaning, but to assure Sasuke he hadn't meant it negatively. "No. I understand, Sasuke."

His eyes drifting back away, Sasuke fell silent again. He wondered if Itachi truly did resent Sasuke's hatred, or if it was as he said- He understood. Itachi had done plenty to evoke such venomous feelings, but underneath it he was a gentle soul. He possessed a longing that he once struggled to control, the need to be more than brotherly with his younger sibling, and whether Itachi was at fault or not, Sasuke felt the same. If it was a disease, they had both contracted it, and they both suffered together.

Such thoughts served to remind Sasuke of his urges. So often he had touched himself, brought himself off thinking of the man sitting quietly, calmly next to him. He glanced over just slightly, his eyes looking at his brother's feet, those small geisha-like feet, and his ankles as delicate as his pretty wrists. He and Itachi had touched one another, they had melted under each other's fingertips, and they had both come together from just thinking of being together; Sasuke found his eyes sliding up his brother's form, the sleekness hidden beneath those baggy desert clothes. It was funny how Itachi had been around, and yet.. He seemed to hide himself. Such thoughts had Sasuke wanting to see his elder's naked flesh again. How beautiful his coveted body had been, how utterly perfect.

It was inconceivable how Sasuke could have possibly -wanted- that gorgeous frame, his flesh and blood brother, his caring, gentle sibling, rotting in the ground. Sasuke had wanted that, and he almost got it. Right now he was so thankful for his sibling's knack for accurate foresight, and with an intense need to touch his brother, the young male's hand reached out, resting on top of Itachi's. Sasuke watched his brother, observing every little movement; Itachi's head lifted at first when he felt Sasuke's warm skin hovering over his, and then he looked over, blinking, and remaining silent as he let Sasuke have the chance to talk. Sasuke did have something in mind to say, and he could see that his brother knew that.

"..I can hardly believe you're here with me now.. And with everything that's happened-" The teenage Uchiha bit his lip, his head lowering, turning away, escaping from the attention as he allowed his bangs to fall over his eyes, like it would stop Itachi from looking at him. He had to wonder- How obvious was his shame? How obvious was it that he couldn't stand himself for the discord he constantly provoked? "..I almost don't know how to act around you, or talk to you.. Without simply regarding you as an enemy, I'm not sure how to be.."

In his greatest attempt at bravery, Sasuke looked back toward his brother just a bit, obsidian tendrils obscuring his visual slightly, but from the corner of one dark optic, he could see Itachi's lush lips curve just barely at the corners, his tiny smile. The elder's hand was then turned so his palm faced upward, and he laced their fingers loosely, tenderly. "You just be yourself.. We both have a lot to learn about how to be with one another again, but...You're still so much like you were when you were a kid.. I don't think you realize.." Those doll-like rubies flickered down from beneath long lashes, taking in the peaceful sight of both of their hands together affectionately, as it should have always been, and with that small smile ever-present on his lips, Itachi lifted Sasuke's hand closer, and petal-soft lips brushed the teen's knuckles before a gentle kiss was placed there.

"..Even if you say nothing to me, I'm perfectly happy just being here with you.. If you would continue to allow me to do so." With a fluttering belly, and a heart pounding uncontrollably, the teen had moved to fully look at his brother, his eyes feeling unusually glassy as he observed things slowly- Rubies staring warmly beneath doll lashes, bangs crossing just over that light complexion, and pinkish lips connected to the teen's powdery white knuckles. From now on, he supposed, perhaps Itachi had put everything behind him, finding forgiveness for Sasuke's ill feelings as divinely as the Crow Clan people. In return he would surely only expect Sasuke's forgiveness as well, and the teen knew better than anything- He could easily accept those terms.

After staying locked eye-to-eye with his precious brother, that heavy, dreamy feeling weighing down his eyelids plagued him, and the pale Uchiha let his vision slide down to measure the space between their two bodies as his hand was also returned to him.

Sasuke hadn't really noticed before, but there was a huge gap between his own body, and Itachi's form. It really bothered him, now that he was seeing the space between them, and he thought that the empty air did not belong between himself and his brother. He wanted to be closer to his elder, and he knew surely Itachi wanted to be near him, too. "Brother.." Sasuke started to speak, his voice soft, and bathed in an emotion that he certainly didn't recognize in himself, but.. He thought Itachi had understood, or at least the elder seemed to. "Come closer to me.."

To his great disappointment, however, Itachi just seemed to lightly shake his head, delicate fingerpads being raised to trace over a pale forehead, brushing aside soft obsidian locks in the process. Akin to a little kid, Sasuke's brows angled downward, and his eyes narrowed- This was his form of pouting while he awaited an explanation.

"Sasuke.. The heat.. You need to rest and cool off." A sweet, and brotherly tone poured from behind the older male's lush lips, and though Sasuke relished in the comforting voice, touch, and attention, Itachi's words did not satisfy as he listened. He gave his head a firm shake, brushing his brother's hand away, responding quickly, his answer coming within seconds after Itachi's words. "No- I said I was fine!"

An insistent hand was raised to the clothed elder male's chest, shoving him down against the bed without much effort. A soft breath was released from his lungs as he flopped against the surface of the mattress, his hair twining about the pillows in waved patterns as if painted so perfectly with a delicate hand. Sasuke twirled round to stare down at his sibling looking up at him, his angelic countenance ever blank, but looking more resigned than usual, somehow, in a way Sasuke couldn't place. The fingers rested amongst the wrinkles of the loose tunic first splayed about the elder's robust chest, feeling his heart beating subtly from beneath the heavy covering, and then the teen's pale digits clasped the material, and he bowed down closer, coming to rest against his sibling. He laid with his cheek against his dear elder, the loose material actually cool pressed to his cheek, though he could still hear that soothing thump that came again and again, whispering reassurances in his ear. Sasuke turned a bit without thought, his body controlling him, his heart communicating without taking it up with Sasuke's reserve, which was pushed to the back of his mind. His lungs inhaled deeply through his button nose, buried in the wrinkles of the tunic, and that beautiful perfume was taken inside, and savored. Itachi; How did he manage to mask his body's regretful coat of blood and smoke in such sugary, calming essences? How often did the elder rest among those clover and lavender fields, or in the branches of a Ume tree, nibbling at the lush, juicy fruit it beared? Sasuke sighed, unsure, but not caring so much as he simply loved the lingering aroma. He wondered if Itachi liked the thought of imprinting the citrus scent on him, as he loved the acidic flavor laced in his tea, even though most of the time it was hard to come by; The smell still belonged on him.

Sasuke sighed, his voice a delicate, silky purr as he made it known, his eyes opening just enough so that the charcoal of his optics was visible beneath his lashes. "Being with you like this now.. I can't even remember how I found the will to reject you before.. Each time you kissed me.. Those were probably the happiest moments I've ever experienced.. They were the only peace I've ever felt in a life as dark as the one I've led."

Now, with contradictory discontentment staining his features subtly, the younger Uchiha lifted up onto his elbows to look down at his brother calmly laying beneath him, watching him. Itachi seemed so fulfilled, just resting with his beloved younger sibling at his side, and Sasuke couldn't help but dip down to kiss his covered chest. It was when he was facing his brother again that he spoke, bringing light to the thing his mind was longing for in order to reach the same state of emotional completion. "Itachi.. I want to feel that again.. Touch me, kiss me like you did before.."

The young male was to assume he would be granted that gift he so longed for as his older brother gracefully sat up, his belly tensing as he, too, came up to his elbows, his lips separated from the teen's by mere inches. Instead, though, he peered into the dark pools that were so heavy with emotion needing to escape, those lush, soft lips parting to release his soft and alluring timbre. "Why don't you just kiss me, Otouto?" The elder's doll-eyes flashed a degree of mischief, something playful and unknown as his mouth tugged up just a bit at one corner, and he continued. "You always make me come to you.. Why not the other way around this time?"

This was a thing Sasuke could not possibly decode- His sibling remained such an enigma. Did Itachi really need any reassurance that Sasuke wanted him, honestly? It had been fairly obvious in the past, as Sasuke couldn't even fight back his longing, and mask it with his hatred. He could only assume this was the elder male's form of playing with his baby brother- playing as older brother's did. They were playing as they had been doing since they met up again for the first time. Sasuke's own supple, pinkish lips curved into a smirk, and his pale hand wandered up from his brother's chest, the frail digits tracing Itachi's neck, and they curved around back, twisting into the older Uchiha's glossy, black locks.

"Because.." Sasuke began to speak, pausing to slowly lick his lips, wetting them, and his eyes slipped downward, scanning his brother's form over with playful interest. And then he leaned in, only to leave even fewer inches between them, but still a space, regardless. He knew surely as he spoke up in a seductive, challenging whisper that his enchanting brother could feel hot, moist breath striking his lips. "..I need to be seduced one more time."

The elder closed his eyes, taking a long, slow breath as he let his lashes flutter against his fair cheeks for a moment, and then he spoke in a calm, firm tone, accepting the answer he was given. "I see.."

As the elder opened his eyes, he closed the gap, though the brothers did not yet kiss- They hovered so near to each other, their noses brushing together softly as they breathed in unison, one feeding the other's lungs back and forth in a rhythmic pattern. It was a moment of wondrous unity, of the two brothers connecting, and yet Sasuke quickly grew impatient, hungry for more; The softest grunt laced in an exhale was made apparent to both males' ears, and the teen's eyes finally shut as his lips opened further, and he gave in a bit, resting against his sibling fully, completely. Satisfied, and just as eager to continue, Itachi turned his head just seconds before softly sealing the kiss.

The brother's lingered together, their mouths captured modestly, still, in soft suction, and with a second's pass, the sure sound of that seal being broken echoed in a dull wave only audible to the two Uchiha, and they breathed together again before closing around one another once more, brushing together like satin and soft silk.

Opening their lips for only a second time, the tips of their tongues met one another, exploring, softly circling. The two shy appendages savored the pace, loose and relaxed about one another, smooth and slick as they caressed, touching tenderly, the sound of saliva being swapped between the two, narrating the adventure's beginning. The pair's mouths closed in sync, though, heightening Sasuke's drive, his seduction as requested, the elder opening his lips to suckle the teen's lower lip, drawing out a soft purr of noise from the younger before he shifted once again to close his mouth around his sibling's, Sasuke opening up for him willingly.

The kiss steadily deepened, Sasuke pushing his tongue insistently into his sibling's mouth, tasting him in a way he had always longed to, touching him as he had only dreamt and envisioned until now, wanting to completely let go of the past. With lusting anxiousness, and love set free, driving him, his grip on his sibling tightened and he came up onto his knees, raising his height above his elder brother's, rivaling him eternally, but for now Itachi was calmly allowing it to be so, melting into the kiss with sheer docility.

Finally they parted to breathe, both of their lips wet, swollen, and reddened. A thread of saliva snapped from between the two of them as they separated, and both males panted, breathless in their addiction to one another. Two pairs of eyes stared, one a smoldering charcoal while the other was a blurred, obscure, faded crimson; Sasuke was observing those glass-like rubies, though Itachi's eyes flickered down to peer at a lower part of the younger boy's face. The elder's petite hand was lifted, his thumb coming to rest against the middle of Sasuke's lower lip, and he traced it downward, over the teen's chin before his pretty face rested in a curious mask of expression. It was the forewarning of such inquiries being voiced, and Sasuke could almost predict what would come out- Itachi's smooth voice still purred from his throat, his tone sounding less like a question and more like a statement, as he clearly knew the answer to the curiosity he was posing. "What is it you're wanting to do here, little brother?"

The younger Uchiha smiled softly, though somehow devilish underneath his seemingly innocent disposition, and as his brother's hand fell away from him, he lifted his own pale appendage to reconnect. Thin digits reached up to brush through his sibling's long, midnight bangs, smoothing just barely along the older male's forehead before tucking some of the longer strands behind his ear. The teen's voice was soft, calm, and more peaceful than it had ever been when aimed in Itachi's direction, but most of all, it was sure.

"I want to finish up where we left off."

Itachi nodded softly, his eyes shutting as he did so, those lashes looking like spider legs upon his light skinned cheeks, and as the rubies reappeared, his hand dropped to the cloak wrapped about Sasuke's body. The younger Uchiha observed how clearly Itachi had taken that simple request, acting on it, and not even Sasuke could help the way his lips parted, hot breath coming out in soft, excited pants. His lids fell to half mast, heavy, as if from some love potion that caused intoxicated drowsiness. The elder male, seductive in his own neutral way, slowly snapped the buttons to the stifling, raven cloak open, dropping it from the teen's shoulders as Sasuke watched, unmoving, just wanting to see how his brother would touch him and tend to him, unprovoked by anything. With a fling and heavy fluttering, the cloud-adorned banner of Akatsuki membership was tossed aside, then in a delicate, subtle movement Sasuke's frail hands reached up, clasping his haori by the hems along the opening revealing his chest, and he tugged it open even further so the garment nearly dropped from his lithe frame.

Immediately the elder's attention dropped to the teen's pale chest, his eyes taking in his younger sibling's taut body, the chiseled cuts defining every little muscle now even more obvious, and open for gazing. Urgent, but still slow-paced hands came to stroke along the boy's soft, white skin, tender fingertips dancing over sensitive, raised, pinkish buds as they slid down, eliciting a soft hum of grateful noise from a graceful throat. Clasping delicately, as if holding onto the most precious thing, Itachi's palms came to rest upon Sasuke's waist. A head adorned in long, obsidian locks bowed slightly, being near tucked beneath Sasuke's chin, the warm tongue normally hidden in a forbidden mouth peeking out and dipping into the hollow space between the teen's collar bone. That slick muscle explored, wetting the area before Itachi's lips closed around it, kissing the perceptive flesh, and causing Sasuke to break out in shivers, and incline his head to leave more skin exposed.

To the show of trust, the exposure of such delicate, vulnerable areas, the older male moved his affection up in a feverish manner, those lush lips leaving wet prints behind as he did so. Foretold by more hitched breathing, Sasuke could no longer contain some sort of reaction, whether or not it turned out to be a deciding factor in his elder sibling's choice of actions to follow. His frame was delicately shuddering, and he was letting tiny, breathy moans escape, but even so, and without looking, one hand traced up the elder's back, fingers scratching softly at the lose material covering Itachi's flawless body. Those meandering fingers finally halted at the vibrant red tie in Itachi's hair, and with a slight tug, the silky, midnight mass was set free. His hands were hungry for the feel of those pretty locks, and the boy indulged, combing his fingers through the onyx strands, petting the older male as his mouth continued to deliver delicious sensations to other areas of the teen Uchiha's skin, now suckling the pale area of the younger male's Adam's apple.

At long last, and not lacking patience, Itachi's hands brushed the boy's crisp, white haori completely from his upright figure, straightening himself now to lean in, and deliver a sweet peck to his young brother's lips. A small amount of distance was then put between the siblings; This came in the way the elder sat himself up straight before his brother. His fingers remained on Sasuke's shoulder, however, caressing, feeling that soft, upward curve into the boy's neck. Sasuke could tell something was still holding his brother back, and he searched for the trusting eye contact he so expected, though it was not granted. Itachi was staring at his own hand as his fingerpads ran along the alabaster surface upon which it rested.

"Have you been seduced yet?" The elder's voice came in a devious whisper, and herein was when his optics flickered to connect with Sasuke's own. The boy only wished he could tell what was on his brother's mind now; He felt that even beyond the coy manner of speaking, Itachi was still..distant.

Sasuke played along, raising a thin brow as he smirked, crossing his arms over his naked chest. His tone mimicked that of his brother, and he played the part of the one who was yet to be impressed, contradicting the fact that he certainly was thoroughly seduced, if the bulge in his pants was any hint. "Why?" he asked, snickering. "You finished already?"

When Itachi glanced off to the side, the playful pretenses melted away, and Sasuke instantly leaned slightly to the side, wanting the gain back eye contact; Something was still troubling his sibling, and he wanted to know what. He was quickly relieved of his urge to know the answer, because Itachi spoke up, his voice low and somber. "It's not that.." The elder began to explain, looking back toward Sasuke, wanting to connect with the boy, read the boy as he gave up his answer. He looked deeply into the inky, doe-like optics, the obviousness of Sasuke's softened demeanor printed easily on the surface. "I wanted you to prove to me.. That you really don't hate me anymore."

Slowly, so subtly in it's pace that the shift was fluid and near invisible, a soft smile crawled across the young teen's immaculate, alabaster countenance. A soft, tender touch was brought to Itachi's warm cheek, fingers gently cupping his face, the thin hand being fondly leaned into as it appeared. "That's what's bothering you?"

The teen's right hand now moved to push against the elder's strong chest, it feeling very solid beneath his gentle coaxing, though his form was ductile and easily changed in position without any questioning. The younger Uchiha only pressed his sibling to lean back, the elder moving his hands to rest behind himself for support as Sasuke inched forward on his knees, coming to sit astride Itachi's thighs.

For a tender moment, Sasuke leaned in, his chest pressed to his brother's, and his arms wrapped around Itachi's sides, his hands resting one on top of the other upon the older male's back. He could hear his sibling softly muttering his name in a velvet voice, his heart alight with the feeling of being embraced by the younger male after so long- Sasuke could feel said heart thumping uncontrollably beneath his big brother's sternum. In a gentle, reassuring whisper, Sasuke told Itachi what he was longing to hear. "..I don't hate you.. Aniki."

The teenager released the hug, sitting upright so he could peer into his sibling's doll-like visage; He seemed so much more peaceful now, and Sasuke was glad of that. His hands now came to wait at each side of Itachi's hips, and the younger male elaborated on his previous claim. His voice was even more bold and sure now, but still an amorous purr. "I'll prove -that- to you."

Again their lips closed together, Sasuke being the one to turn his head to the side, sealing himself to his beloved sibling's mouth, though this time their tongues tangled only in the most loving way, pushing softly against one another before the two brother's exchanged a gentle suckling, little moans and mewls making their way out steadily. One of Sasuke's hands made it's way back up to rest against Itachi's cheek, wishing to remain as an encouragement, and padded fingertips caressed in little back and forth movements, feeling the smooth skin just beneath.

Distraction came with a surge of passion, however, and with interest which had been ever-present, that gentle palm slid down the older male's graceful body, crawling to the hem of a most bothersome and hindering tunic. While the boy's fingers ducked beneath the material of his sibling's top, his other hand tugged away the scarf from around the elder's neck, tossing it to the floor, letting the rich navy curl about the ebony and crimson garment already discarded. A moan was purred into the kiss as fingers splayed, and explored the covered surface of the older Uchiha's abdomen, and chest, Itachi clearly appreciating the extra attention; It was a reminder to Sasuke. The younger male hadn't given his brother the attention he deserved at all. He had hardly even touched his older brother until this point, and with feverish desire heightening in that knowledge, he broke the kiss with a wet smack in order to pull the tunic over his brother's head, and add it to the pile.

Dark eyes slowly looked Itachi over- He was free of any injuries by this point, not even a scar remaining as he surely found a sufficient healer to aid him. Sasuke was happy to know that- He didn't like to imagine his flawless warrior of a brother marred in any way, especially since the previous injury had only come to be because of the teen. But the young Uchiha wasn't looking for that in particular as his optics began at the top of the older male's pants, and moved up, once more fascinated by the V-shaped definition tracing downward from Itachi's prominent hipbones, though it was not fully visible. The sun pouring in from overhead illuminated the light coloration of the head Uchiha's skin, and brought out every detail of his god-like, rippling muscles. He was bathed in perfection; Lean, but not skinny, and muscled but not overly bulky. His body was evenly balanced in strength, grace and flexibility. It was almost unreal, and Sasuke would just about believe his sibling to be some sort of deity.

A sigh caught between the teen's lips as he leaned in, sliding his rump back so he could duck low, and plant a kiss upon his elder's navel, fingers tracing back and forth along those creases just between Itachi's hipbones, and where his pants rested on him. He could hear his brother sighing too, Itachi's own fingers lifting to curl into Sasuke's soft, jet black spikes. The boy spared a glance upward as his tongue delved into the shallow hole in the older male's belly- Itachi's eyes had fallen shut, and he was poised to simply feel the delectable attention he was receiving. Never had Sasuke imagined he would ever get such great pleasure just from _touching_ Itachi, _seeing_ Itachi melt for him like that. Then again, he had never touched Itachi like this before, and truly meant it; How wonderful it must have been for the elder to finally be physically admired by his beloved younger sibling.

A teasing hand moved further down, curious, and just barely Sasuke's fingers traced along the rigid bulge in his sibling's loose garment, drawing out a moan of desire from his brother. He gave no more than that, however, his lips moving up in sweet kisses along the line down the center of his elder's form until he was back upon Itachi's chest. Once there the teen gifted a hot mouth to a single raised bud, suckling and nipping while his fingers teased the twin. The head Uchiha, despite his typical reserve, had become very vocal, and had noticed, trying now to lock a moan up behind his lips, letting it hum in his throat, but still be clearly audible. It caused Sasuke to almost chuckle to himself as he released his suction, noting how he had turned the flesh from a pink coloration to a more reddish hue from the abuse.

He gave the raised flesh a quick fingering just to get another shudder out of his delectable elder sibling, and then he carried on, kissing sweetly, and worshipping one of his sibling's graceful shoulders, all the way up the side of his neck. Sasuke had a particular goal in mind as he halted in this position- He had his head turned to the side, rested comfortably on his brother's shoulder, and he had steadily inched forward to straddle Itachi's hips. His arms wrapped around his elder, holding onto him as he now rocked against him, rubbing his rump against the stifled member while he gained a slight amount of stimulation himself. Before he could even stop himself, Sasuke was groaning, his lips attached tightly in suction to Itachi's pale neck, still warm and tender and untouched from being hidden under that scarf; The teen could practically taste the older male's pulse thumping against his tongue as he sucked and lapped, drawing slightly differentiated, confused moans out of the head Uchiha. Itachi was mixed between pleasure that was not quite accessible, and the bruising throb slowly building against his tender flesh- How teased he much have felt. But as for Sasuke's purpose now, he well intended to leave Itachi with a flaring red mark in the common area of claim.

He would be goddamned if any other fucks laid their hands on Itachi ever, ever //EVER// again. And that was the precise wording of this notion in his mind, the burning jealousy coming back to him. He would be the one who claimed Uchiha Itachi once and for all, even if he did lack the ability to bless his brother with children, unlike those women Itachi had been with, and from now on he would protect that which belonged to him.

More insistent did Sasuke's rocking become as he sucked only harder at his sibling's neck, devouring the moans he received in return, and the surprise at how controlled Itachi remained, not yet begging for mercy in even the slightest way- He spoke no words, he didn't thrust his hips upward, he didn't even interrupt the younger male, and at last Sasuke pulled away from his grand work. Indeed, he had left a blazing red mark dappled with speckles of violet, and he smirked at this tiny victory.

"Staking your claim, baby brother?" The younger Uchiha's eyes flickered to his sibling's face as he noticed Itachi glancing over at him with smoldering doll eyes. The ex-Akatsuki's fingers drifted up to touch the still-damp mark, feeling the dull sting surely left behind, the pain which he seemed grateful for, and had trusted Sasuke to adorn him with without sinking in fangs and going for the bite of death.Clearly, Itachi was well aware of what Sasuke had done, almost to the point that he had expected it, and really- He probably did. But now Sasuke smiled to himself, proudly, and he leaned in to sweetly kiss the aching mark before delivering an equally affectionate peck to his brother's petal-soft lips. His own lips were busied with the thoughts hovering, waiting to become words, and with a sly sort of smile, he eyed Itachi bearing all the devilish charm he could possibly muster.

"I am, brother.. And now you should do the same, as you've wanted to do for such a long time." Sasuke's voice was tainted far from innocence, and told of every fiber in his being dripping with lust that was unfed. Beyond the hatred he had carried so far, and even the child-like affection still lurking, stifled, deep inside, the steady perversion in the teen's nature is what most peeked through from beneath the surface now- That oh-so-dirty longing that began to grow heavy in the younger Uchiha's gut ever since he came into his sexuality, ever since the thought of intimacy with his [[once hated enemy]] brother struck him, and caused his skin to burn and tingle for some sort of attention, something to keep the lust sated until it was fed properly. Sasuke wanted to get the sweet taste of sin he had chased so obsessively.

The two brothers connected once again, Itachi swooping in to press their lips together, hands grasping the younger male's shoulders as he steadily pushed the boy back, moving his own body forward to take lead. The teen was aware now that his words had gotten across and his brother was acting on them. For just the slightest moment the siblings' tongues touched, Sasuke moaning softly against his brother-turned-lover, especially as his lip was given the slightest nip. But even beyond the sampling of each other, Sasuke remained with a smile painting his countenance as he slowly laid back after shifting his legs from beneath him; Itachi came to hover, but not directly above him. The elder still maintained a semblance of control, patience. He had gotten up on his own knees, bending over the prone form so beautifully laid out for him once again. This time Sasuke was open and free for the taking, allowing nimble fingers to pull the violet twist of material from about his waist, letting that tiny splash of color wind about the pile made on the stony, red floor. It was quickly becoming a makeshift piece of artwork, which Itachi added to more and more as the haori was freed from beneath the tie, and discarded.

Down to the very last tiny article, Itachi paused with teasing patience Sasuke could barely fathom, let alone handle. But the elder relieved the young boy's tension, if only slightly, a merciful hand being laid against Sasuke's covered crotch, rubbing slowly back and forth. The teen's eyes fell shut as he softly 'Mmm'ed in response, urging the touch along while he spread his thighs that much wider. He was still desperately pleading for more in his own silent way, his hips growing agitated and impatient, pushing up against that frail and beautiful hand giving him the restrained pleasure.

"I remember.." Itachi began, his voice purring sweetly again, seductively. "I remember how you moaned my name at such a touch before.. to the slightest stimulation.." He finished his thought out, leaving Sasuke with the hot rush of intensity that came with this moment, and slowly the button and fly of the boy's pants were finally tugged open, and that remaining article was slid down the younger Uchiha's pale, gracefully long legs, and slipped onto the floor just a few inches away from the separate pile.

Sasuke, for all the teasing, felt he could remain aware enough to observe his sibling. He honestly was surprised that he hadn't collapsed into an absolute sex craze from how this situation was crawling along. He took a few breaths, watching those thin, pretty fingers he loved so dearly crawl along his alabaster legs, the padded tips giving him chills, and he hummed soft little noises under his breath. Itachi tucked his hands in the tender areas just beneath the younger male's knees, feeling the soft skin while he lifted the widespread legs up to a relaxed angle.

Those deep, ruby eyes were busily flickering about the pale boy, however, taking in Sasuke's entire frame, every little inch and detail- Such attention almost made the young Uchiha self-conscious, and he tensed slightly with a faint blush painting his cheeks. Doe-like eyes looked up at the observant elder, watching him closely when his eyes slid shut, butterfly-wing lashes inky black against those light-colored cheeks. Itachi bowed his head, and let the soft touch of his pinkish lips linger against a single knee for just a moment before he raised his chin to rest there, eyes opening and looking down upon Sasuke again.

"You're so beautiful, Otouto."

Itachi's voice was a velvety whisper, the expression locked deep beneath his glass eyes heavy with emotion that was otherwise unreadable- This was something only Sasuke could see, but at such praise he only became that much more embarrassed. His head turned to the side, a need to hide his pinkish cheeks very apparent, but.. He turned his optics back to the elder after a second passed him by. Funny- He had always been stalked by various women, and even other men, but hearing somebody as flawless as Itachi compliment him.. It made his insides flutter in the strangest way. He would just suppose it was something hanging on from the past. He remembered how he sought Itachi's compliments back then.

Sasuke was soon smiling to himself, laughing quietly, even, and he propped up on his elbows in order to reach gentle fingers up to touch the hovering elder. The pale digits came up only to brush some of the dangling locks away from Itachi's face, and they were tucked behind the older male's ear [[though they slid back down into his face again moments later.]]

"..Are you even still able to see me?" Sasuke's amused voice poured out in a questioning tone, a slight smile clinging to his lips as his charcoal eyes remained on Itachi's ever-blank countenance, watching for any subtle reaction.

That awaited reaction was granted in a fairly quick manner; Itachi gave a nod of his head, his bangs dancing across his cheeks with the movement. This was seemingly the only reaction he intended to give, though, and beyond this, he wished to move along. That was the teenage Uchiha's assumption, in any case. He noted his brother crawling a tad bit forward now, only to bring one frail hand up to the teen's chest, pushing him back down against the mattress, his back pressed into the sheets. The warmth from those silky fingertips remained, though, unmoving, and Sasuke blinked as a curious expression plagued him. He saw, for just the quickest second, a smile pulling at the head Uchiha's lips; Itachi was touching Sasuke just to be touching him, feeling him- That white satin skin, the taut muscles, and that steadily beating heart encased in the cage of bone beneath.

And then Itachi spoke, at last. "For now.. I can still see you, Sasuke."

Those words were laced in a melancholy tone; The well-known approach of Itachi's blindness which he avoided for now by keeping his sharingan-use to a minimum. But Sasuke nodded his head to his brother, and allowed Itachi to forget about it for now. That troubling notion was then shrugged off, quickly, and now the elder's hand began to move downward, teasing fingertips barely touching, tickling the pale, sensitive flesh. Sasuke's body was apprehensive, but his muscles tensed and shivered under Itachi's thin hands, a sigh passing over his lips which soon evolved into a moan when the pleasurable touch made it down to the teen's rigid appendage. The boy arched into the touch, his hips fluidly lifting against his brother's hand, wanting more attention from Itachi's talented fingers, more of that raw friction. "..Nnm.. N-Niisan.."

The pads of Itachi's fingers continued along the younger male's length, up and down, steadily and slowly, barely touching, while his other hand laid against one of the boy's hips, fingers touching a jutting hipbone, putting pressure there- This was to calm the young male's unconscious thrusting, as Sasuke could barely contain himself with such a light touch. Sasuke's breathing was already coming out in uneven pants, his cheeks flushed and he could feel the burn of his body heat.

Now moving into a position more to his liking, Itachi lowered, settling between the younger male's legs, his arms wrapping around the boy's thighs while his elbows rested against the mattress, keeping him up. Sasuke curved his form slightly, trying to watch his sibling while remaining in a relaxed position, though soon his eyes shut tightly, and a hand dashed up to lay upon his forehead, fingers tangling into his ebony bangs- Itachi's fingers had grasped him tightly before he even knew what was happening and he moaned softly without even a hope of restraining it as a puff of hot, moist breath collected against his sensitive, straining flesh.

Breathing became quite the concentrated task for the inexperienced teen, little pants being pushed in and out in regulation as most of his body's focus drifted down to his lower areas. The only thing in the world that he could think on or feel was his brother's hands, his fingers smoothing up over the precum-slick flesh. The elder's thumb traced along, coming to rest upon the tip of Sasuke's swollen arousal, a violet-polished fingernail dipping into the dribbling slit.

But Sasuke could not see that devious weasel-smile on his brother's face, or sense the intentions in the more experienced male's mind; It was the ex-Akatsuki's goal to make his baby brother squirm. Reddish lips opened just enough to suckle a few stray inches of skin along the underside of the boy's erect sex, the elder's wet tongue sliding out, hotly lapping at the flesh, and drawing out a gasp and a moan. The head Uchiha's goal was very near achieved, and easily, because Sasuke's body writhed in instant reaction to this sensation he had never experienced even once before. The teen was almost -too- excited, and he supposed that because of that, Itachi was much more careful about the foreplay, not wanting to bring Sasuke to orgasm too quickly. That, and the younger male's hips had started to jolt even more furiously, which had Itachi pulling away for just a moment to hold Sasuke down against the bed, and softly mutter a 'Calm down, Sasuke.' But soon that pretty mouth returned, wet lips smacking against slick, silken flesh in fond, affectionate kisses that moved from the base of the teen's need all the way to the shiny skin of the blush-colored tip. With much restraint, limiting what Sasuke was allowed to feel, the older male applied a few licks here and there, lapping up just the smallest taste of the cloudy fluid that had dribbled down the younger Uchiha's arousal.

The teasing tongue and mouth worked it's way back down, Itachi's reddened lips curving once more into a smirk as they traveled lower still, and were pressed against the boy's plump, taut jewels. The older Uchiha could probably already feel his brother's tense thighs trembling, his body wracked in shudders of pleasure, trying much too hard to focus on what little stimulation was given in order to obtain orgasm. It would be so easy to push Sasuke over the edge right now, and the young male was far too aware of that- His nerves were frayed from this special attention, his privates having grown accustomed to the repetitive feel of being pleasured by their owner's hand and nothing but. He tried to loosen his body, but it simply was not happening, especially when lips now colored cherry-red opened to wrap around his sack, creamy-pale but lightly blushed cheeks hollowing in suction, showing the pretty curve of Itachi's cheek bones as he suckled, his lashes lowering.

A thumb traced back and forth over the tip of the teen's member, and Itachi could feel the young male's jewels steadily tightening as his tongue lashed them. The graceful hand went back to slowly stroking up and down, it's grip firm, fingers streaking the pallid flesh in pearly precum that had gathered against them. That plump sack was allowed to escape from the hot, sweltering cave, and Itachi kissed the dampened twins, still smiling to himself as Sasuke took a breath while the hand on his member came to a halt, not allowing the teen to gain enough friction to get off yet.

Mischievous rubies glanced up to see the young Uchiha's blushed cheeks, and parted, reddish lips, agape as the boy's feverish lungs panted to restore the oxygen flow to his overheated, overindulged frame. That slight brushing of a pinkish hue had spread to other parts of the pale boy as well; Down along his chest and belly, his knees, and those lower areas from the friction and attention. The older of the two brothers spoke gently, seeing Sasuke's abysmal optics flicker open just barely in order to acknowledge his sibling's words.

"..It really is amazing how sensitive you are to my touch.." His right hand went back to stroking slowly, loosely, his head bowing so his tongue could gather up some of the pearly fluid dribbling down the younger Uchiha's length before he completed his thoughts. "I'm going to have to handle this delicately so you can enjoy it a bit longer.."

Sasuke only whined behind bitten lips in response as his elder shifted, the teen soon feeling the fingertips from his brother's left hand coming to smear in the dribbles of saliva and precum collected against his pink pucker. Both teasing hands stroked slowly, giving Sasuke nearly nothing but a hot tingle in his groin, his balls staying tense, his overly eager, and under-touched body wanting badly to come, but Itachi's control was perfect, and Sasuke was not yet permitted to find that edge. The long fingers of the head Uchiha's left hand traced the pucker, drawing circles, rubbing back and forth over it, being brought up just under the plump sack to push against that space just between the jewels and the tight, virgin entrance. Fingerpads applied pressure, massaging, causing Sasuke's toes to curl in teased-frustration, though the boy's mind was still hazed with the knowledge that this was even happening, at the way his elder had spoken to him, and was touching him, and that he was finally succumbing after so long.

The elder's head ducked low, petal-soft lips being brought to rest against those tense, sweating thighs, the silky-pale of Sasuke's skin, and he kissed the boy there before lowering himself again, his mouth pressed just against the wet, and sensitive puckered flesh. A hot tongue slid out, and Sasuke moaned feeling the muscle swipe over him, further slicking the heated zone, only for it to push inside of him, filling his body with warm, squirming sensation. Itachi lapped at that pure, untouched zone, forcing his tongue in for a moment, moving it around, and pulling it out again, thrusting it back and forth, coercing the tight ring of muscles to relent for his own muscular appendage.

"Uhnn.. Ita..Itachi.." Sasuke went limp, his body tiring from remaining tense due to all the teasing, and he breathed his sibling's name, pleading so sweetly that the elder gave his merciful sweet attention. Spindly fingers came down to rest curled around the thick base of the pale arousal, the silky, pink-tinged member, and Itachi raised himself to look down upon Sasuke. The teen's head was turned to the side, black tendrils splayed over his forehead and his shut eyes, his lips still gaping open just a bit as rushes of air panted in and out from his burning lungs. Sasuke seemed melted, lucid, like a wild animal that was tamed, docile- It was almost as sweet as when the boy was a small heap of soft, young flesh.

"You like how that feels, Sasuke? Feeling me touching you inside, you need more of it, don't you?" As his purred, seductive but sugary voice hummed aloud, audibly narrating their sinful acts, Itachi received a grunted moan in response, an urge, Sasuke still pleading but so softly, because words were unmanageable. The elder's pointer and middle finger moved to press softly against the saliva and precum-coated pucker, moving up and down as they pushed, just almost enough to slip inside. "You've waited so long for this, little brother.. And I'm going to make it worth the wait."

As Itachi spoke, his fingers at last forced their way inside, sliding slowly, audibly as the slickness surrounding them echoed out wetly. They were immediately moved back and forth at a safe pace, teasing the soft inner walls, and the sensitive muscular ring, giving the teen a hot, tingling warmth that surged up his spine and gathered like a heavy mass in his groin.

"Yes, I know, Otouto.." The Uchiha head spoke, continuing, and Sasuke's skin prickled from the clear, deep timbre of that sinful voice, that sinful existence, that one he wished to be tainted by once and for all. His body arched, his hips lurching forward, taking those fingers deep inside himself as they spread, and curled inside him, the stretch like an itch, a need for more, making the teen squirm until Itachi's knuckles could be felt, conformed to the puckered ring.

Itachi could only chuckle lowly to himself in response, like some evil feline, a cat grin on his lush lips as they kissed the blushed head of Sasuke's member before opening to keep speaking. "I've been waiting for this, too.."

Without any further warning, that slick warmth engulfed the first few inches of Sasuke's throbbing erection, the elder Uchiha's tongue hungrily lapping at the gathered precum in distraction while his long digits thrust in and out of the boy, fingering him with some force, curving once Itachi allowed the hot flesh to slide fully down his tight throat. The teen groaned as he was taken in, vocal, and unable to be anything but that while his member was swallowed up by sweltering heat, sliding in the tight space with great aid from the wetness of saliva. Those reddened lips tightened around the base of the erection, all the way against the finger and thumb that encircled the appendage where it was attached. With the slipping, wet noise of suction the older male pulled back, his lips coming upon the ridges of skin around the swollen head of the teenage male's sex before he dove back down, tearing an unabashed noise from the younger Uchiha.

There was no more pause- The heir raised up only to swallow the boy back down with a relaxed throat, and perfect control as his head bobbed up and down. His fingers pushed inside the boy hard, quick, in time with the movement of his hot mouth.

It took very little for the teen to be kicked far over the edge, the noises only continuing to leap from behind his lips while his body tensed again in the powerful grasp of orgasm, his seed shooting from his member, down his blood-brother's throat. He could feel a satisfied mewl vibrate against his skin as ecstacy pulsed through him, his thighs spasming and his toes twitching from the sensation, brand new in it's strength, so strong now that it had been provoked by Itachi's skillful mouth and hands.

As the breathless boy panted, Itachi raised up, now freeing himself from his last stifling garment, his own hardened length jutting proudly, aroused to the highest peak. Vaguely, with cloudy eyes beneath dark lashes, Sasuke stared at his uncovered sibling, a soft moan being purred in his throat as his loosened body shifted into a soft curve, and Itachi bent over him.

The brothers' lips came together again, smacking softly, wetly as they conformed to one another, suckling lovingly, their tongues loosely weaving together, the teen detecting the faint taste of salty cum on his sibling's tongue, and how joyful a taste it was. The evidence of his orgasm, right there inside his brother's hot, delicious mouth. The boy on his back raised his arms to wrap about his brother's shoulders as the elder propped up by resting each hand upon the sheets on either side of Sasuke's head. Itachi's hips were lowered as he kissed his young sibling, the weight of his throbbing length resting upon the younger male's tight abdomen, and Sasuke arched up, rubbing himself against it, provoking a moan that escaped against his lips, into the kiss. With liquid, wave-like thrusts, Itachi rubbed his arousal against his sibling's pale belly, painting the boy with dribbles of his pre-fluids. They moaned and reveled in the touches together, the elder's tongue escaping deeply into the teen's mouth as he weighted himself down further, his elbows bending as his head turned more to the side, those ruby lips pushing against the kiss.

Their lips parted with a thin trail of saliva, and quiet gulps for air, both of their cheeks flushed from the lack of oxygen, the heat they sought from one another. Itachi shifted, his lips resting upon his brother's thumping pulse, feeling that steady beat beneath the tender skin, opening slowly to suckle at it, his tongue swirling against it. He lazily kissed at the younger male's neck, tender in his actions, and Sasuke purred sweet, but unintelligible words to his loving elder, smothered and completely absorbed in the aura exuded by Itachi. Why had he never seen this before- That calm, clear mask Itachi wore didn't serve to hide what radiated from his being now, the beauty of this moment.

"Sasuke?" Itachi's voice poured smoothly from his painted-looking lips, as crimson as his doll-like sharingan beneath thick ebony lashes when he raised his head just enough to peer down at his brother. His fingers danced along the teen's member, his touches succeeding in slowly causing the appendage to grow back to an aroused size, especially as his rocking hips rubbed a hard, pulsing shaft of his own against Sasuke's privates.

"Nn, hai, Niisan?" Sasuke looked up, as attentive as he possibly could be with the steady stimulation. Itachi's eyes shut momentarily as his own body shuddered, surging with shivers from the friction, still having not obtained his first orgasm. But he ducked down again, his lips sprinkling kisses against Sasuke's neck, and up over his jaw and chin, fingers from one hand caressing the teen's muscular chest, tracing his collarbones, examining the curve from his shoulder up his neck. But soon his lips parted in speech as his nose and closed eyes were laid against the boy's shoulder, nuzzling, Itachi's lashes tickling against the younger male's skin.

"Tell me.." Itachi began, his voice a warm, humid whisper against the alabaster hue of Sasuke's skin. "Tell me that you want me, Sasuke.."

The request, as simple as it was, could not be taken so lightly, and Sasuke found himself staring up at the windows chiseled in the red stone ceiling as his brother rested gently against him. There was only one answer in his mind that he could give his sibling, and he heard it escaping from his lips before he had even thought, not really needing to do so. This moment was painted into his mind in advance, like fantasy. "..No."

Sasuke could feel his brother's body tense against him, the negative reflection of that one single word overtaking him as a disbelieving breath escaped from his lungs. The arms which loosely hung, as if forgotten, about Itachi's shoulders now tightened, curling around his neck and holding him close, Sasuke's fingers lacing in his silky midnight locks, and rubbing them between his fingers, letting them slip like satin between his digits. "I won't tell you I want you right now, Itachi.." the boy spoke, explaining. "Because what I'm feeling right now is so far beyond want, it is more akin to a -need-, something I cannot live without.. Right now I -need- you, brother.. More than anything else.."

Quietly, the older male's body relaxed, his breathing soft and slow but deeply shifting in and out and collecting against the skin of Sasuke's shoulder. The boy let his grip loosen so Itachi could raise back up, staring down with heavy emotions reflecting in the surface of those dying optics, though his face remained soft, impassive, and so much like that of a living doll. Sasuke just continued talking. "It is as I've been saying all along. Nothing will change things between us, because in reality.. Nothing ever -did- change from when I was younger. You still are everything to me. My want and need, my love and challenge, my goal, my everything.. I was just blind for a time.." He reached up, his hand being laid against his sibling's cheek, tender fingers tracing one dark line trailing down the otherwise fair-colored surface. "But I realized how dark, and even more blind of a chase my life would be without you.. My vision has cleared, and now I can see things properly."

A tender hand came up, fingers curling and enclosing around Sasuke's own pale hand. It was shifted so that the older male could kiss the boy's tender knuckles, his eyes shutting for a moment to revel in the touch he gave so lovingly, but quickly he was looking down upon the young boy again. "I love you, Sasuke."

The teen smiled softly up at his elder sibling, nodding his head in agreement. "...And I love you. I need you, Itachi." His words spoke truly, but he further highlighted his point by raising his parted legs to be wrapped loosely around the older male's back. Itachi lowered his lips back down against his brother's, their tongues tangling once again before the affection was interrupted by a soft moan. Sasuke purred longingly into the kiss as he felt the swollen head of his brother's thick member against his rump. His legs tightened around his sibling, and his back arched as he pushed himself back against his elder, trying to force the older male to slip inside.

Itachi first lowered his chest down, his skin pressed tightly to Sasuke's, and quickly the teen wrapped his arms back around his brother's neck and shoulders, holding onto him, a small grunt forcing it's way out as he felt his sibling's hips give in, lowering down and pushing against him, that rigid organ being pressed harder and harder against the taut ring of muscles until it seemed to dive inside from the pressure. Sasuke gasped at the feeling, the sudden feeling of his brother -finally- within him, though just barely. The way Itachi's organ angled, pushing against the teen's insides, and the silvery beads on the barbel edges of Itachi's pierced flesh, metallic and cold and foreign, strange, but still good in a way, added to the sensation.

Sasuke took a gulp of air, the wet smacks of his brother's lips against his neck echoing in his ears along with the slick sound of Itachi sliding in further. The teen groaned, his face wrinkling as his body felt suddenly much too full, his virgin entrance stretched tight around the obstruction, and his belly was weighted down from the throbbing flesh. His brother easily picked up on his discomfort, and lifted free from the tight embrace, looking down on Sasuke, a hand moving to the boy's cheek, his thumb tracing Sasuke's lips. The younger boy turned from the affection, muttering quick words of reassurance; This wasn't too much for him to take, he was fine. "Don't stop.. It's okay."

The older male remained buried in his sibling for now, leaning back down to press his lips against the younger boy's, his tongue dipping inside Sasuke's mouth, and loosely twirling about Sasuke's own slick muscle. That tricky tongue lured the younger male's from it's home, and Itachi suckled upon it once he had captured it between his lips. In response, he received a mewl of pleasure, Sasuke having remembered how hot, and wet, and amazing it had been when Itachi did this the first time. Meanwhile, Itachi's hand slid down the boy's front, coming to his hard length, still needy despite the sudden discomfort, and he clasped it tightly, giving it a firm, even stroking.

Sasuke couldn't help himself. He moaned into his brother's mouth, Itachi's tongue now delving back inside to taste him, saliva coating their lips wetly, lubricating the friction as they consumed one another. The teen's hips raised, thrusting upward into the hand provided, and taking the insistence as a sign, Itachi moved his hand faster upon his sibling's sex, his skin slickly gliding along his dear younger brother's.

The teen moaned, his eyes batting open for a moment to look upon his sibling's hand stroking him; Those wrists looked just as pretty and delicate still, so utterly perfect, and he moaned lowly, his eyes shutting again as his hips kept grinding up into his brother's talented hand.

And then Sasuke felt his brother's member withdrawing, and while he wished to look up questioningly, he was unable to do so; The more thick, rounded area below the head of the organ was sliding through the tightly fitted entrance at present. It still hurt, but the teen wondered if Itachi was stopping because of that? His answer came to him as the hand on his member slowed, the pace matching the slow way Itachi was pulling out- Sasuke remained with his hips elevated, a whine being muttered as the rigid erection slid back into him, in slow but perfect time with how Itachi ran his hand along the teen's throbbing member.

"Unn.. More, Niisan, don't stop.." Words were muttered in a breathy tone, and with an immediate reaction, Sasuke got what he had asked for. He felt his brother's skin thump against him as that hard flesh was driven into him, and pulled out steadily in a jolt, continuing, and it practically took the breath out of him, though his lower end tingled hotly while Itachi's hand continued to stroke him.

"Ahh!..Ita-.." Sasuke's tongue caused sounds to flow freely from his being as he was filled, and left empty repeatedly, over and over again, his brother moving against him more slippery and wet than before, it seemed, the silken skin rubbing and caressing him, making him warm, and lighting his nerves into steady flames of satisfaction. He could feel something slowly growing with every thrust which was accompanied by a stroking, and his body began to shake from it, his thighs tense as his muscles rushed into tighter bunches, trying to feel more. The pain had mostly vanished now, and his senses had tuned into what he found to be hidden just a few moments ago. "..-chi..Itachi, mmn.."

"W-wait.. Itachi, stop." Sasuke spoke up, looking up at his sibling who's attention flashed down without any trouble, and with very great control over himself, just as asked, the elder stopped, catching his breath as he waited for Sasuke to say what it was that had urged him to halt things. The younger male moved now, pulling his body away so that his elder brother was withdrawn, and he made a soft noise at the sudden empty feeling, quickly wishing to have Itachi back. Sasuke knew Itachi had to be wondering why the teen had stopped their sex just as he was beginning to warm up, but the boy spoke no words, choosing to move quickly in order to explain his actions. Sasuke raised to his knees, his palms resting upon the wall which the mattress was positioned against, and his upper body was leaned forward as his thighs parted widely. "Like this, brother.. You can move better like this.. You can move faster, harder."

Sasuke looked over his shoulder to catch the image of that little weaselish smirk printed on his sibling's face, and his dark eyes narrowed as Itachi crawled along the bed, coming over close, his lips kissing the small of Sasuke's back before he raised up onto his knees behind his brother, arms wrapping around the younger male, those thin hands rubbing along Sasuke's firm chest and tummy, stray fingers teasing a raised peak while Itachi's lips came to rest near the teen's ear, his voice purring devilishly in that low, seductive tone. "Are you sure you can handle it, Sasuke?"

The teen scoffed at his sibling, letting the side of him that was undeniably a stubborn younger brother show, and this time he was going to win out against his sibling. His back arched, and his rounded bottom was stuck out, pressing back against Itachi's hips, capturing the elder's rigid sex between their two bodies. A smirk now fixed itself upon Sasuke's countenance, which he flaunted by keeping his head turned to look over his shoulder- It was his response to the small hum of a moan sliding up from his brother's throat and resting softly on his lips. The teen only further taunted as he rubbed his pert bum back and forth against his brother, feeling the twitching jolt of his sibling's hips as his silken erection was teased in this manner. "Come on, Niisan.. Why don't you have me in that rough, fast way I imagined for us before? We both got off on that so well."

"Mnn..Sasu..ke.." The teen Uchiha could feel his brother's body shuddering as Itachi moaned the younger male's name, and Sasuke chuckled to himself, quite pleased, though his little laugh was cut short. A gasp was forced from his lungs as he felt spindly fingers clasping the round globes of his bottom, forcing them apart, and before he even was able to take in the fact that Itachi had spread him in this manner, he felt that thick sex impale him, though it felt to fit much better now, sliding inside with ease.

"Ahhh, Niisan, unng!" A forehead beaded in sweat joined the boy's palms against the wall, Sasuke's eyes clenched shut as the room echoed with the quick thumping of his brother's hips smacking against his rear, unrelenting in their thrusts, delving deep inside hard and fast, just as Sasuke had wished for. And, as he had always imagined, he felt a prickling slowly lighting pleasure in his lower belly, and he had no need to even touch himself now. He was gasping, his back curving gently as he forced himself back in time with his sibling's movements, and he was letting out a soft noise to chorus every wet skin-on-skin slap.

The teen's eyes flashed slowly open in reaction to touches upon his hands, and he was met with the visual of Itachi's appendages over top of his own against the wall, his fingers laced between Sasuke's pale digits, and Sasuke squeezed at the affectionate connections tightly, hearing his sibling muttering his name in panted whispers quietly, his warm, humid breath collecting on the back of the boy's neck. Despite the heat in his groin, the tingle that erupted through his frame, and up his back with every one of his brother's churning thrusts, the way he felt Itachi's forehead pressed to the indent where his neck met his shoulder, his elder brother's slightly wrinkled brow conformed against the pale skin, it made Sasuke wish he could see Itachi now- He recalled that beautiful expression that came over Itachi's face when he came before, the glory that came from it's rarity, and Sasuke was missing out on that now as his sibling pumped into him a few more times, and then with a stifled groan, the elder came.

Sasuke felt the hot fluid spurt deeply into him, filling him up, and he moaned, his head falling forward and his back arching, his bottom pushing back against his sibling, and at the very same moment Sasuke let loose, his own orgasm pulsing through him, but feeling different this time around; The one before had been better than ever, and he had thought there was no way to rival it, but this feeling consuming him was most amazing. The muscles in his bottom, and up his back tensed, surging with heated, tingling pleasure, and he found himself shuddering, the seconds ticking by longer than ever before, and with another used-up groan, his seed splattered out from his length, droplets landing in random patterns and lines about his milky skin and the wall.

He felt Itachi's body relax against his back, his sibling's belly pressed to his flesh, their two figures conforming. The teen listened to the sound of his brother's rushed breathing, the occasional shudder that still passed through him, the tight way he clung despite how he seemed as though he wanted to fall down to the sheets. It was beautiful, and warm, and he could feel Itachi's heart thumping against the back of his shoulder; That steady heartbeat was strong, and alive still, powerful and unwilling to let go yet. Sasuke was so happy.

Eventually Itachi sank down onto his rump, but still remained upright, and Sasuke wasted no time turning to face him, laying his head upon his Aniki's shoulder, his cheek turning to be flush against the elder, his lips touching the thin, cream-colored covering over the older male's pulse. Itachi sighed, obviously more content than he had ever been, and Sasuke felt joyous waves pass through his body. He and his sibling were happy together now, both of them finally having everything they needed. Itachi lifted his arms to embrace the younger Uchiha, and they slowly laid down together, remaining in their perfect positions. Itachi rested on his back with Sasuke clutched against his chest as delicate and lovingly as the elder sibling would have when Sasuke was just a boy.

A few sweet minutes passed as the two siblings laid together, and the exhaustion of the day and of love came over Sasuke, lulling him in his warm, comfortable, and satisfied position. His pale lids were allowed to slide shut, and for at least ten or fifteen minutes he napped, though lightly, always aware. Even in his sleep he listened to his brother's steady breathing, he felt the elder's living heart beating, and the constant rise and fall of the chest he was resting just on top of. Soon, though, Sasuke's restless mind, which was filled with questions and intrigue, roused him, and he shifted, turning up his chin so his eyes could look upon his brother's flawless visage. Itachi had his head turned to the side, but was wide awake still, resting quietly while letting Sasuke sleep and as Sasuke stared up at him, Itachi surely could feel his baby brother's eyes watching. He must have, because within a moment or so, he tilted his head so that his eyes could catch Sasuke's stare, and he peered down at his beloved one.

"What is it?" Itachi's voice was low, but just above a whisper- He sounded so relaxed and content, and Sasuke nuzzled his face against his sibling's warm, bare chest. Itachi had said the same thing before, right after Sasuke finished his task during the last round of their game, however, this time the elder was even more sure that no malice would be aimed at him- He was right.

Sasuke pressed a kiss delicately to the center of his dear Aniki's cream colored chest, dark doe-eyes looking up fondly at the angelic face of the elder. Itachi was an angel who had fallen, and now was granted redemption. Though, Sasuke wouldn't give up the job that came with being a little brother; He was still entitled to point out the results of their rivalry. His voice spoke up playfully to answer his sibling's inquiry.

"This means I won again, doesn't it?"

Itachi smiled softly, and Sasuke's eyes widened just the slightest bit, intrigue flowing within his system at the expression from his normally stoic sibling. Itachi, he was smiling that warm, brotherly smile he always showed Sasuke in secret so, so long ago. Sasuke lifted his head just to look down at it, his stomach fluttering from the simple sight of Itachi's content and somehow nostalgic happiness, his brotherly playfulness. The moment was only broken when the elder spoke up, his voice a deep and challenging purr, and Sasuke could only smile softly in return to those words.

"Next time we play, Sasuke... you won't win."

- - - -

Take my hand  
I give it to you  
Now you own me  
All I am  
You said you would never leave me  
I believe you  
I believe

I can feel you all around me  
Thickening the air I'm breathing  
Holding on to what I'm feeling  
Savoring this heart that's..

-healed-

- - - -

//Owari//


End file.
